Emma S. Sarah S. Period 3

1. Genetic Modification of Foods Sarah Stein and Emma Scotson Period 3

3. Human Genome Project The main goal of the human genome project is to identify the DNA sequence of every gene in the human genome. The project started in 1990. People think that because of their genes (genetic info) , they will be discriminated against (Social). Employers may not want to choose people with genetic health problems. They may not choose people based on their genetic information under federal law if they have equal to or more than 15 workers (Federal). Insurance companies want genetic information because then if the person has any health problems then they get to charge more, which is unfair (Ethical). The law prohibits discrimination by employers and insurers (based on genetic information and health problems), changing GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008)

4. Genetic Disorder Single Gene Disorder – runs in families, includes cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, symptoms vary from person to person Chromosome Abnormalities – includes Down Syndrome and Turner Syndrome, symptoms are deletions and duplications, or abnormal chromosomes Multifactorial Disorders- conditions with many different factors, includes heart disease and diabetes, can be caused by enviornment, multiple genes, and lifestyle

5. Argument 1: Decide for ourselves? Do genetically modified plants help a new world of choices or limit it down to a world with only one? Lately there has been talk of labeling if a food (crop) has been genetically modified or changed, there will not be a label telling customers so. This is mainly because business companies think that it will effect its rate of products sold. This limits the choice of a customer. Instead of letting them decide if they would like a GM food or non-GM food, they just give them one or the other and don't tell that customer which kind they are giving to it. The thing is, is that company’s only look at the short term effects on the human body that a GM food could have. They don’t even bother researching if it would cause any long term effects on a human. If no short term effects that might be caused by a GM food are found, then the FDA approves the company to sell it and not have to put a label. The force of putting a label on GM food by law has been talked and thought about, but not enforced. There is an argument that GM foods and ones that aren't GM are the same and it is a waste of money and time to label that they are GM. I can get why companies would say this. Why spend extra money and precious time for putting a small label on foods saying that there is a minor difference between that and another food? But don't people have the right to know what they are consuming in their own bodies? What if GM foods have some chemicals that can cause severe allergies in people? There may not be a difference in taste, I don't know about that, but the chemicals GM foods and crops contain might hurt people. And people should be alerted about if their food is GM!? Lookout for soybean, corn, cotton and canola folks! Those are the most GE crops there are, and who knows if there will be a label telling you if it is or not?

6. Argument 2: It Helps Me, It Helps Me Not. Does genetically modifying crops help eliminate human allergies or just make things worse? Some people would say that a pro of Genetically Modifying (or Engineering) plants/crops is that scientists can change a plant’s DNA and make it so a person will not have allergies when consuming this plant. But is this really a pro? If we genetically modify the system of a plant’s DNA it may lessen allergies for one person. But, what if it causes new allergies for another? It could even make a person already allergic have even worse allergies to that plant because what if scientists add a chemical to a plant to change its DNA, that causes allergy symptoms? There are no tests to prove that GM plants are safe. There also isn’t anything to prove that “fixing plants to decrease allergies” isn’t just “intoxicating humans and sending them into the ER because you have strengthened their allergies”. FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl said that The only definitive test for allergies,""is human consumption by affected peoples, which can have ethical considerations

7. Argument 3 Sarah was assigned arguments 3 and 4 these are not completed

8. Argument 4

14. Argument 8

16. Conclusion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9WZGKQeYg Over all we believe that Genetic Modification of plants, crops, and/or food is not an improvement and will not help the world move towards a better nation