ABSTRACT
The biotechnology revolution has involved a major technological change-a move to the new ability to understand and manipulate life forms at the genetic level. All major technological changes have social and economic consequences, and because of the breadth of applications of modern biotechnology, the socioeconomic consequences will be many and diverse. It promises a new level of control over our environment and us. There are many positive consequences to this. Human health can be improved through better understanding, treatment, and prevention of disease. New solutions can be found to some of our environmental problems with alternative sources of energy, cleaner manufacturing processes, and new means of reducing pollution. Novel agricultural technologies can provide crops with enhanced or novel traits, reducing inputs, improving nutritional
value, or expanding land available for agricultural use-all of which can contribute to improved food security. Plants can be used for growing drugs and vaccines. Modern biotechnology has the potential to contribute to poverty alleviation through improvements in health and food security, boosting economic development prospects. In the security realm, biodefense (i.e., defense against biological attack) capabilities can be improved through use of genetic engineering technologies. However, it is extremely unlikely that the revolution will have only positive consequences-historically this has not been the case with any major new technology.
