When the word biotechnology comes up, I think of GMOs, cloning, and stem cell therapy. If I did not know any better, I would think it is unethical for men to play God and bend nature at will. But in truth, biotechnology has done human civilization a great good. And it is not that man is playing God, but it is that man is understanding nature and developing its full potential. For instance, biotechnology has made positive impacts on medicine and agriculture. 

From the discovery of penicillin and vaccines and the development of anti-biotics, we can say biotechnology is a factor in reducing the human mortality rate. Without these things, wounds would hardly heal, illnesses can spread before getting a patient treated, and in worse cases, getting sick would be a death sentence. In the present day, biotechnology is aiding humanity in the form of COVID-19 test kits and the creation of a cure for the virus (Regalado, 2020). 

Others may be against biotechnology as a way for progress in medicine due to animal testing. This involves experimentation with the use of animals such as rabbits, mice, and monkeys. According to PETA, 100 million animals die because of these researches (2019). This, however, can be mitigated with proper regulation and inspection of biotechnology clinics and laboratories with the use of animals in experiments. Through monitoring, a protocol can be established when there are labs with unnecessary researches and animal deaths.

In the field of agriculture, biotechnology also helps in the development of better crops. Since the first human settlements and civilizations, agriculture has been an essential tool for providing the needs of large populations. Without agriculture and the domestication of crops, people today could still be hunter-gatherers. Likewise, societies today would not food like corn or edible bananas, because these are products of biotechnology (Duthoit, 2019). The science does not only allow farmers to identify the cream of the crop, but it also will enable farmers to recreate and multiply this for a community's benefit. 

These years, developments in agricultural biotechnology hold controversy.  One topic under this is the use of pesticides. Using highly hazardous chemicals in eliminating pests has toxic effects. Concerning this, producers of pesticides should initiate chemical risk assessments before putting their products on the market (Curry, 2016). Also, instead of using chemical pesticides, farmers can use biopesticides as a safer alternative. An example of a biopesticide is Bacillus thuringiensis, and it aids in pest control and crop growth. 

 Biotechnology is not entirely ethical science. In truth, nothing is surely moral; everything has its pros and cons. We can be sure, however, in the fact that biotechnology is continually improving. There may be risks, but with proper product assessments and experiment regulations, the negativities can be prevented. Initially, biotechnology began for the betterment of human life. Today, many people invest in biotechnology for the same reason. The means to the end are varying and changing. And besides profit, the means vary and change for the greater good.  

04/21/2020 

Science, Technology, and Society