ABSTRACT
The field of biotechnology has seen rapid growth in recent years. As a result of recent scientific discoveries, genetic manipulation techniques have been developed that introduce the possibility of tailoring living organisms, and of transferring genetic material from one organism to another to create modified organisms that have certain “desirable” features; for instance, the modification of certain species of tomatoes and strawberries using a gene from a cold-water fish to protect the plants from frost. Such developments, in particular in the fields of medicine, food energy and the protection of the environment, have profound implications for society, and the debate surrounding the bio-ethics of this work will undoubtedly create headline news for many years to come.
