Perhaps because I’ve had to repeat the following points many, many times–I’ve decided to put them in one place. I give you this brief list of things you should know before you debate the science and safety of genetic modification:
Policy concerning intellectual property and the conduct of large corporations are separate issues from the safety and viability of genetically modified organisms. The Monsanto Fallacy has been coined as a common non-sequitur, or technique used by GMO opponents to derail rational conversation about GMO safety. Monsanto has become a doom and gloom scare word, a crutch that anti-science genetic modification opponents use to support their stance. But corporate policy and patents have little to do with the issue of GMOs being safe.
Not all scientific research is created equal. GMO opponents routinely cite studies which were either poorly conducted or deliberately biased. None of these studies have attained consensus among the scientific community. This is a necessary step for research gaining viability as something you can point to and say, “Look. This is probably true.” Scientific papers must be peer-reviewed before publishing. This process is not perfect and there a bevy of pseudoscientific journals out there, all attempting to look as truthy as any other scientific journal. These have their own reviewers, often from their own pseudoscientific disciplines. Even reviewers from valid scientific disciplines make mistakes or overlook problems in a paper and approve it.
Read the full post here: A short list of points concerning genetic modification
