Biotechnology:

1
Biotechnology
What Ethical Issues are Raised by the Use of
Biotechnology?????
2
John Elsa Case Study

• Run a Family Farm
• Possibility of Going out of Business
• Need to Decide Whether or Not to Use Bovine
  Growth Hormone

Concerned about if customers would still buy milk
with BGH
3
What is Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)?
- Made Naturally in Cows in the bovine pituitary
gland. Naturally in Milk that is from
Cows Gene Splicing Technology - Can be
injected into Cows to increase the milk
production - Used to increase the feed
efficiency of dairy cows. - Do not produce more
milk at one time Extends time period at which
peak amount of milk is produced
Other names for Bovine Growth Hormone - rbST -
Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin - bST - Bovine
Somatotropin - rBGH Recombinant Bovine Growth
Hormone - GH Growth Hormone
4
Arguments For Bovine Growth Hormone

• Would allow more milk to be produced.
• The Milk Stock Supply would be built up.
• Milk might be cheaper with a larger supply.
• According to the FDA
• There is not a significant amount of BGH in Milk
  Collected from Cows treated with BGH
• rbGH is degraded by digestive enzymes in the
  gastrointestinal tract and not absorbed intact
• Only an extremely large amount of milk on a daily
  basis, i.e. over 15 litres a day would result in
  a response to BGH in Milk

5
Arguments Against Bovine Growth Hormone Effects
on Cows Milk
More susceptible to - Mad Cow Disease -
Utter Infections - Deformed Calves Cows
Treated with BGH produce milk that contains -
Less Protein - More Saturated Fats - Pus -
Bacteria - Antibiotics
Deformed Cow with Three Horns gtgt
Protein ltltMolecule
6
Arguments Against Bovine Growth Hormone
Continued Effects on Humans
Increased Chance of - Breast Cancer - Colon
Cancer - Diabetes - Hypertension -
Premature Breast Growth in Young Children
Milk that could contain BGH gtgt
Insulin gtgt
7
Arguments Against Bovine Growth Hormone
Continued Economics

- BGH is expensive - Many Local Dairies
Cannot Afford it - Indirect Costs due to Health
Issues Caused by BGH - Leads to Large
Corporations having Monopolies - Can Afford to
Use BGH and Produce More Milk than Smaller
Local Dairies - Small Local Dairies Cannot
Compete and are Forced to Close their
doors
8
Laws about BGH Use
- Banned in Europe and Asia - European Union
Veterinary Council did a series of Studies and
found BGH to cause cows o be resistant to
antibiotics and could cause allergic reactions in
people - Ban on sales of rBGH until December
31st - Must decide if they are going to renew
ban - Banned by 95 of U.S. Dairy Farmers -
March 8th 2006 House of Representatives Passed
the National Uniformity Act - Prior to
this Act local governments had the choice of
labeling their products for BGH or similar
chemical presence or not - Food labeling laws
will be under national control of the FDA,
and will be consistent for all states. - BGH
Will Not necessarily be labeled then
9
WHAT SHOULD JOHN AND ELSA DO?
10
John and Elsa's Options
CHOSE TO NOT USE BGH
CHOSE TO USE BGH

• Increase Production of Milk
• Possibility of More Profit
• Could Stay in Business if they sold all of the
  Milk that was produced

• An additional cost
• BGH Costs
• Costs of Veterinary Bills
• Possibility of harm to the cows
• Questions about the safety of their customers
• Some Customers May Chose to Buy rBGH Free Milk

11
Questions about You and BGH

• Do you Know if The Milk that you Drink Contains
  Bovine Growth Hormone?
• Had you Heard of bovine Growth Hormone Before?
• Would You Switch Which Brand of Milk You Would
  Drink Based on If it Had BGH Or Not? Why
  (Animals Health, Your health, etc.)?

12
What Other Local Dairies Did....
13
Tillamook County Creamery Association

• April 1st 2005
• Banned BGH from Cheese Only At
  this Time
• We are working with those suppliers to
  implement the same no-artificial-bovine-growth-hor
  mone policy for all Tillamook dairy products.
  Full implementation will take some time.
  -Tillamook Website

14

• Main Product is Fluid Milk
• Banned in 2005
• Banned BGH Not only from Milk, but From all
  of Their Products
• Proudly Displayed This on All of its Cartons
• Also Makes Baskin-Robbins' Ice Cream BGH Free

15
Other Forms of Biotechnology
Additional Agricultural Uses
Medical Uses
16
Additional Agricultural Uses

• Improved Forms of Crops
• Resist Insects and Disease
• Would Reduce the Need for Insecticides and
  Pesticides
• Would Reduce Cost
• Better for the Environment
• Super-sized and Super-Fast-Growing Animals
• Growth Genes from Humans and Cows are inserted
  into Mice, Fish, etc. to increase the amount of
  food produced at Farms and Fisheries.
• Live Stock that Produce More Young
• Hope to develop animals that can have larger
  litters or lay more eggs.

17
Additional Agricultural Uses Continued

• Healthier Foods
• Engineer Foods that are better for you
• Coffee Beans with less caffeine
• Low-Fat Meats
• Lactose-Free Milk
• Foods that Contain More Protein
• Vegetables that Stay Ripe Longer
• Tomatoes are Engineered to take longer to rot
• Left to Ripen on the Vine and have a better
  Flavor
• Plants and Animals that Can Survive Under Harsher
  Conditions
• Develop Crops and Livestock to Survive in Parts
  of the World where they wouldn't other wise grow
• Produce Food closer to the people who need it
• Prevent Starvation as the Population Increases

18
Medical Uses of Biotechnology

• Animals That Can Serve as Organ Donors for Humans
• Inserting human genes into pigs and baboons to
  make organs that are not rejected when
  transplanted
• Would reduce the long waiting lists for organs
• Transgenic Plants Animals that Make Drugs
• Produce greater quantities of medicines at a
  lower cost
• Medicines would be available to people who need
  them
• Mice that are Custom Made to Test for Human
  Diseases
• The genes in the immune system are removed so
  treatments for immune disorders such as AIDS can
  be tested for
• Vaccines that are contained in Foods
• Vaccines delivered through fruit would be less
  expensive and an easier than giving shots to
  people, especially to people in poorer countries