Benefits of GMOs to Society

The controversy of whether or not GMOs are useful is one that has
been raging since their introduction to society. Many people blindly pick a
side without knowing any background information as to what GMOs are. So
what are GMOs? The term genetically modified organism (GMO) refers to
individuals who have had their genetic makeup transformed (Freedman 4).
These organisms come in various forms, and have a multitude of applications
in the world ranging from everyday products to specialized tools. These
organisms are used in numerous industries such as medicine and farming.
Genetically modified organisms are beneficial to the human population as
they allow for a better quality of living.
Some would argue that genetically modified organisms are actually
harmful to human health, but this is not the case. Some organisms have
been modified to improve their nutritional value. For example, the soybeans
nutritional value may be advanced through the introduction of the protein
gene into the organisms genome (Andrews). This provides the consumer
with more protein than a normal soybean would and allows for people who
are lactose intolerant to acquire an appropriate amount of protein. Humans
would be able to get the daily dosage of essential nutrients, without having
to consume numerous types of food. Additionally, GMOs are capable of
preventing cancer. Substances known as antioxidants have the property of
cancer prevention if richly present in ones diet. Antioxidants are chemicals
that have the ability to prevent damage to cells such as aging (Breene). In an
article posted on Pacific Standard, Michael White describes a tomato that

has been created to produce an abundance of said antioxidants. The

consumption of this super tomato on a regular basis will greatly reduce the
probabilities of being affected by cancer. Therefore, contradictory to modern
belief, GMOs are actually quite healthy for the human body.
A growing concern is the global expansion of genetically modified
crops, but this would actually benefit the human race greatly. In developing
countries such as India and Nigeria, there is a scarcity of food, and this leads
to starvation and malnutrition. Since genetically modified crops grow
relatively faster than normal crops, the issue of starvation would be solved.
For example, there is a huge number of infants in Africa who are suffering
from starvation. These innocent children have basically become
malnourished due to a lack of available food. With the assistance genetically
engineered crops, these poor children will be alleviated of their starvation
due to the plants rapid growth and massive yields, which therefore proves
the advantages of GM crops expansion.
Genetically modified organisms are essential to the pharmaceutical
industry for the rehabilitation of patients and to create medicines. The use of
GMOs enables doctors to prevent infections in individuals. For example, the
vaccine for the hepatitis B infection is produced through the genetic
modification of a microscopic fungus known as bakers yeast (Diaz). Multiple
vaccines would be unavailable to us were it not for the ability to genetically
modify organisms. Many other diseases such as malaria could be avoided
with the use of GMOs, which makes life much safer for civilians. The vaccines

would be given to the population, which would better prepare them for the
infection, and virtually make them immune. The use of these GMOs is what
allowed for humanity to excel exponentially in the medical field.
Furthermore, genetic modification enables the therapeutic recovery of
patients suffering from genetic disorders. Through the use of technology
known as gene therapy, it is possible to cure the disease known as sickle cell
anemia. The gene known as beta-globin could be injected into the DNA of
hematopoietic stem cells of a patient suffering from hemophilia. The
introduction of these modified cells could theoretically cure the patient of the
disease (Diaz). This unlocks the potential for humans to cure thousands of
diseases associated with gene malfunction, including cancer. The quality of
life is greatly improved through the use of GMOs in the pharmaceutical
industry.
The use of GMOs is essential to the apparel industry. Cotton is a
product that is widely used to make clothing. Before the use of GM cotton in
the United States, farmers lost a huge yield to swarms of insects. For
example, in 1995, U.S farmers lost a quarter of a billion dollars of cotton crop
to insects and other pests (Bt Cotton). In current practices, GM cotton is
more desirable than organic cotton due to their large yield that has multiple
applications. A large portion of the cotton used in attire is genetically
modified. In fact, as of 2011, 75% of the cotton grown in the United States is
genetically modified (Johnson). This shows how much of our clothing is
actually produced through the means of genetic modification. Without the

ability to manufacture this cotton, people would have less clothing to wear
around the world, which could be a problem. This cottons ability to grow
quickly is what allows the fashion industry to expand. Without it, the
production of clothing would decrease drastically as organic cotton takes
longer to grow. The use of GM cotton provides the human populace the
benefit of clothing. Moreover, GMOs provide a unique sense of style through
the use of colour. Imagine a fashion show where there is only one colour;
grey. Every outfit would look the same, with no sense of individuality what so
ever. With the use of GMOs, ones eccentricity can be expressed. For
example, the E-Coli bacteria is genetically engineered to produce indigo dye,
which is used to give blue jeans their colour (Sandner and Ellis 162). With
this ability to manufacture artificial dyes, the individuality of a person can be
expressed. This shows the benefits that GMOs provide to society. Therefore,
genetically modified organisms are advantageous to man due to their uses in
the fashion industry.
Genetically modified organisms are useful to the agricultural industry.
Farmers experience a decline in profits every year due to a loss of crops.
Senior editor of CSA, Deborah Whitman states, Crop losses from pests can
be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers Ms.
Whitman explains that pests are a huge financial problem for farmers, which
can be solved through the means of genetic engineering. Crops have been
genetically modified to be pest-resistant. This means that farmers will lose a
very low percentage their crops to pests, since the crops have the added

ability to ward of insects or other animals. An example of one such crop

being B.t corn (Whitman 1). This corn has toxins which are poisonous to
some species of insects, which saves them from being eaten. These
genetically modified crops save agriculturists from bankruptcy due to pests.
In addition to this, animals have also been genetically modified in a manner
that is helpful to humans. One example being the modification of dairy cows
in China. These cows have been altered in a way that allows them to produce
milk similar to that of human breast milk (Goldbas 1). This is exceptionally
useful for those mothers who are unable to breastfeed their child
themselves. Also, in New Zealand, cows have been modified to make milk
that is allergen-free (Goldbas 1). This will allow those allergic to lactose to
drink milk freely, without worry of an allergic reaction. With the expansion of
GMOs in this particular industry, it would be possible for people to consume
products that would have otherwise been lethal. The use of genetically
modified organisms in farming is valuable to society.
The applications of genetically modified organisms will evolve to a
point where they are necessary to our survival as a species. This will be
achieved through their current practices in the medicinal, clothing, and
farming industries that have greatly assisted man kind in numerous ways.
The use of genetically modified organisms should be continued as they are
beneficial to society through their ability to enhance our quality of life.

Arham Syed

Works Cited
Andrews, Ryan. "All About Genetically Modified Foods." Precision Nutrition All
About Genetically Modified Foods Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov.
2014.
Breene, Sophia. "What Are Antioxidants (and How Do They Work)?" Greatist.
N.p., 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
"Bt Cotton." Bt Cotton. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.

Diaz, Julia M. "Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)." Encyclopedia

Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
Freedman, Jeri. Genetically Modified Food: How Biotechnology Is Changing
What We Eat. New York, NY: Rosen Pub. Group, 2009. Print.
Goldbas, Abbie. "GMOs: What Are They?" International Journal of Childbirth
Education (2014): 20. eLibrary. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
Johnson, Chrystal. "Are GMOs Hiding in Your Clothes?" Happy Mothering RSS.
N.p., 22 Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
Sandner, Lionel, and Clayton Ellis. Pearson Investigating Science
BiologySource 11. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, 2011. Print.
White, Michael. "GMOs Can Actually Make Your Food Healthier." Pacific
Standard 01 July 2013. Web.
Whitman, Deborah B. "Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?"
(2000): CSA. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.