Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Research Paper Example All these are geared towards promoting food security. However, genetically modified foods have raised great debate in the recent past over their impact on human health. The two main areas of concern are risk to human health and risk to the environment. This paper seeks to look at the health benefits of genetically modified foods and also the disadvantages of these foods. Pathogens, herbivorous insects, and parasites have significantly reduced crop yields all over the world. Given the fact that the population is increasing, traditional crops cannot sustain the world population because of the above threats. GM crops have been introduced to help abate this problem. Examples of crops grown in this case are virus resistant genetically modified papaya and insect resistant crops having Bacillus thuringiensis gene. This has been successful in the United States; insect resistant GM maize is grown on an area of about 10.6 million hectares and represents 35 percent of all the maize grown in the country. The resistance has also been enhanced to include bacterial and fungal pathogens. With reduction in crop loss due to pathogens, insects and parasites, more yields can be achieved and this can reduce malnutrition (Key, Ma and Drake 292). Another issue that has caused reduction in the crop yields is abiotic stress which includes low or high temperatures, drought, and salinity. It is projected that in the coming years these losses will increase due decline in water resources and desertification. Salinity and drought are expected to increase salinization of arable lands. This calls for adoption of new technology that will ensure there is crop survival. There have been attempts to produce abiotic stress resistant genetically modified foods. However, there has been no break through yet and the research is still at laboratory level. In

Should Animals Be Used to Test the Safety of Products Such as Research Paper

Should Animals Be Used to Test the Safety of Products Such as Cosmetics - Research Paper Example n one hundred people, this aroused the United States government to pass a law that made it mandatory to have a drug tested on animals before its introduction to humans (Ilman 16). The issue of using animal models started raising controversy early in the years after the adoption of vivisection. Standardization of animal testing was initiated by the passing of the Animal Protection Law by the British parliament that was later accompanied by another law, the Cruelty to Animals Act. Animal protection in the United States has made several steps and is said to have been initiated by among other things, a memorial held by medical students over a vivisected dog, the animal activists intensified protests that saw establishment of animal protection mechanisms. Advancements have been made in replacing the use of animal models, refining the testing mechanisms and the reduction in the use of animals (Ilman 16). Animals have the same rights as humans. The animals are subject to the same pain and s uffering that the humans go through. They suffer when they are injured, this means that the things that humans go through happen to them too, they fall sick, they die (Fox 2). When an animal develops cancer or some other condition because of being used to test products, they undergo through the same situation that every other person would be subject to. Considering this aspect demonstrates that, it is ironical for humans to think that they are humane when they are part of exploitation to other organisms. The reason why humans have adopted the use of animals is because they can control them and manipulate them the way they want. Nature creates a balance that should be altered through artificial mechanisms. The biological similarity between man and animals used in testing is an advantage to... This paper stresses that animals are not any different from humans; the only difference can be related to the level of intelligence. Humans have infringed on the rights of the animals because they lack a right to defend themselves independently. They have no platform to bring out their issues, their only voice is the human right activists who can be corrupted or induced to think otherwise, their stand can be compromised. Again, it is unnecessary to apply the treatments to animals that would benefit them. Products such as cosmetics are not really a necessity for the animals, making it illogical for them to be tested on them. It can only be right if the products meant for them are the only ones tested through them. The animal activists have a point that needs to be carefully analyzed and appropriate action taken. It is very true that the animal rights are very important to them and less important to humans. This report makes a conclusion that it is apparent that the best option for use in testing of products for consumption by humans is animals. Animals share several similarities with humans, from the organ system, to the body processes, to the genetic material, aspects that make it possible for the products to have a representative effect as in humans. The other alternatives available are deficient in many forms and do not provide concrete evidence of safety. However, the animal models should be used with care and caution. Concrete policies should be developed and implemented for inhumane treatment against animals used for testing products.