Are GM crops safe?
When it comes to the issue of GM and safety, there are two quite separate questions that need to be addressed.
The Precautionary Principle
At present, there are very few GM crops grown in Europe, as the EU has applied what is known as the Precautionary Principle to GM crops. This requires that in the face of scientific uncertainty, a country should not take any action that might adversely affect human and animal health or harm the environment.
In practice, this shifts the responsibility on to GM proponents to prove that GM technology poses no risk. However GM supporters have argued that:
- it is impossible to prove a negative and that
- all human activity carries risk.
Are GM foods safe for people?