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| - | <h3> The worlds opinion </h3> | + | <h3>Ethics</h3> |
| - | <h4>Outreach in Ghana</h4>
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| - | <p>
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| - | <span class="intro">By generating nutrition made</span> of bacteria our team pointed at contributing to the considerable task of
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| - | providing accurate nutrient to third world countries. The contradiction between common opinion of how
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| - | food is produced and of finding a solution on obtaining food in the future has been a key issue to our
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| - | project. Furthermore, the ethical and social aspects to our project are decisive to include.<br><br>
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| - | <span class="intro">This means that we</span> have considered what good research is. Good research includes the common opinion
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| - | in society, and for this reason outreach in Ghana provided understanding of different standpoints to our
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| - | project.<br><br>
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| - | </p>
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| - | <h4>Interview, Dr. Yaa Difie-Osei:</h4>
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| - | <p>
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| - | <span class="intro">Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry,</span> Dr. Yaa Difie-Osei (Dr. Yaa), agreed to meet with our team member, Anne,
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| - | during her stay in the capital of Ghana Accra in August. The purpose was to talk about GMOs in relation
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| - | to our Edible coli. The interview was held at the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology
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| - | at the University of Ghana, Legon. Dr. Yaa had previously worked at the university herself but was retired
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| - | from her position as lecturer. Unlike most who retire due to many years of service, Dr. Yaa is still involved in
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| - | the development of synthetic biology in Ghana as a member of the National Biosafety Committee of Ghana.
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| - | The fact that Dr. Yaa has much experience regarding synthetic biology and at the same time is a member of
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| - | the National Biosafety Committee means that her expertise relates brilliantly to our project.<br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">When Dr. Yaa heard</span> about our iGEM project she expressed great interest and there was a clear
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| - | understanding or acknowledgement of the concepts of iGEM or both. Dr. Yaa spoke very passionately of
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| - | GMOs and made it clear that GMOs would be an essential solution to malnutrition, which is a recurring
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| - | motif in Ghana. As a member of the Safety Committee Dr. Yaa had recently contributed to the approval of
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| - | four GMO projects in Ghana. The four GMO projects includes protein rich sweet potato and cotton with
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| - | pesticides integrated into the genom (BT-cotton). The projects have got permits to do research but the research
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| - | will be subject to strict rules concerning biosafety, management of risks in biochemistry and national
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| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="sourceReference"> biosafety.</span>
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| - | <span class="tooltip">
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| - | <span class="tooltipHeader">Source:</span>
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| - | A.A. Adenle et al.: Status of development, regulation and adoption of GM agriculture in Africa: Views and positions of stakeholder groups. Food Policy. 2013:43,159-166.
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| - | <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919213001346" target="_blank">(Link)</a></span><br><br>
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| - | <span class="intro">Dr. Yaa Spoke of</span> GMO as an important step forward. The positive effects of GMOs relating to farmers as
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| - | well as the general population of Ghana where among others as following:<br><br>
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| - | Farmers:
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| - | <ul>
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| - | <li>Reduce of chemicals in farming</li>
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| - | <li>Improvement of health</li>
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| - | <li>Saving time for the farmers</li>
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| - | <li>Saving tractor fuel, in relation to Green House Gasses.</li>
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| - | </ul><br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | General population:
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| - | <ul>
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| - | <li>Nutritional balance</li>
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| - | <li>Prevention of children suffering from malnutrition</li>
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| - | <li>Improvement of health</li>
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| - | <li>Reduction of intolerance, as example lactose intolerance was given, where GMO could be
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| - | accommodated by producing milk containing lactase, which is an enzyme one lacks when
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| - | lactose
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| - | <span class="sourceReference"> intolerance</span>
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| - | <span class="tooltip">
| + | |
| - | <span class="tooltipHeader">Source:</span>
| + | |
| - | Swallow, D.M.: Genetics of Lactase Persistence and Lactoseintolerance.
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| - | Annu.Rev.Genet,2003.37:197-219.
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| - | <a href="http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.genet.37.110801.143820" target="_blank">(Link)</a></span></li>
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| - | </ul><br><br>
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| - | <span class="intro">There is much focus</span> on the fact that child health has improved in Ghana due to the decrease in child
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| - | mortality
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| - | <span class="sourceReference"> rate,</span>
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| - | <span class="tooltip">
| + | |
| - | <span class="tooltipHeader">Source:</span>
| + | |
| - | Child Mortality Estimates, 2014: Under-five mortality rate
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| - | <a href="http://www.childmortality.org/index.php?r=site/graph&ID=GHA_Ghana" target="_blank">(Link)</a></span>
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| - | although the nutritional status of children in Ghana still remains a
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| - | <span class="sourceReference"> challenge.</span>
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| - | <span class="tooltip">
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| - | <span class="tooltipHeader">Source:</span>
| + | |
| - | World Health Organization, 2014: Country Cooperation Strategy at a glance.
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| - | <a href="http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccsbrief_gha_en.pdf?ua=1" target="_blank">(Link)</a></span><br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">By introducing GMOs this</span> issue could potentially be reduced. However, the ethical aspects of introducing
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| - | GMOs as relief-aid for hunger or malnutrition or both must be subject to consideration, according to Dr.
| + | |
| - | Yaa. Personally, Dr. Yaa did not think of GMO as ethically incorrect if the purpose was relief of hunger or
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| - | malnutrition or both. However, it would be necessary to educate any population so they would have a basis
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| - | of decision regarding the use of GMOs as a nutrition source.<br><br>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">Dr. Yaa mentioned the</span> importance of considering indications for an idea of any genetically modified
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| - | organism. The hypothetical GMO should have relevance in a way that promises improvement of lifestyle or
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| - | brings good quality to something or both.<br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">Furthermore, it would be</span> necessary to demonstrate the safety of the GMO. This would include risk
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| - | assessments such as inspection of the organism when separated from its natural surroundings. It would
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| - | furthermore be crucial that the commercial releases were informative so that the consumers would receive
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| - | the essential information.<br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | Professor George Armah (Prof. Armah) was head of the Electron Microscopy & Histopathology department
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| - | at the Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon. Currently Prof. Armah
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| - | is the Master of Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, Legon.<br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | Prof. Armah has much expert knowledge about the health profile of the Ghanaians as well as the condition
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| - | of life in Ghana. Therefore, Prof. Armah was an interesting scientist to interview in connection with
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| - | applications of Edible coli in malnourished countries.<br><br>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">Prof. Armah believed that</span> the Edible coli could have potential in Ghana. The main issue would be to
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| - | introduce the product as a new source of nutrition. According to Prof. Armah it would be decisive whether
| + | |
| - | the Edible coli could be included in the Ghanaian gastronomy. Prof. Armah proposed that a genetically
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| - | modified nutrition source in combination with an already existing nutrition source would make the most
| + | |
| - | sense. His argument was that it seemed unlikely to change the way people live. Therefore, GMOs should be
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| - | incorporated into food such as sweet potato, rice etc.<br><br>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | Prof. Armah spoke of two important aspects of malnutrition in Ghana:
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| - | <ol>
| + | |
| - | <li>The spoilage of food was mentioned an issue in Ghana. Lack of food is not a problem in Ghana
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| - | compared to the proportion of nutrient. Depending on the geographical location, the people eat
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| - | differently. In the southern part of Ghana the population primarily eat fish and fufu. Fufu is a
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| - | staple food made from the cassava plant and this is rich on carbohydrates. The population in the
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| - | northern part of Ghana have lots of vegetables and chicken, and therefore they do not get the
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| - | recommended ratio of omega fattyacids.</li>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | <li>The second issue Prof. Armah spoke of was tradition and cultural practices of Ghana. As mentioned,
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| - | food available is different according to regions in Ghana. In addition to this, the different regions
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| - | have different ingredients that they use for their traditional dishes. Furthermore, people act have
| + | |
| - | different priority or tradition of daily diet or both.</li>
| + | |
| - | </ol><br><br>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">Prof. Armah clarified the</span> two aspects by giving examples from the northern part of Ghana. Traditionally
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| - | children cannot eat eggs, which is a contradiction to the fact that children need good nutrition for proper development and
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| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="sourceReference"> growth.</span>
| + | |
| - | <span class="tooltip">
| + | |
| - | <span class="tooltipHeader">Source:</span>
| + | |
| - | The MAL-ED Network Investigators: The MAL-ED Study: A Multinational and Multidisciplinary Approach to
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| - | Understand the Relationship Between Enteric Pathogens, Malnutrition, Gut Physiology, Physical Growth,
| + | |
| - | Cognitive Development, and Immune Responses in Infants and Children Up to 2 Years of Age in Resource-
| + | |
| - | Poor Environments. Clin Infect Dis,2014:59(4),193-206.
| + | |
| - | <a href="http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/suppl_4/S193.long#sec-28" target="_blank">(Link)</a></span><br><br>
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| - | The reason for this was that children become impertinent if they eat eggs.<br>
| + | |
| - | Another example from the northern part of Ghana was that most men would rather sell a chicken instead
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| - | of eating it. Instead, the men would choose to buy alcohol.<br><br>
| + | |
| - | | + | |
| - | <span class="intro">Prof. Armah told about</span> the problems considering malnutrition as localized. Cultural and educational
| + | |
| - | practices where mentioned as issues in relation to the application of GMOs. According to Prof. Armah the
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| - | rural areas of Ghana did not take interest in synthetic biology due to the lack of education.<br><br>
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| - | | + | |
| - | Objections to the use of synthetic biology did not have anything to do with religion or culture according
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| - | to Prof. Armah. The culture and tradition in society would have the greatest influence on the population.
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| - | Thereby GMOs might not be rejected based on a religious or social point of view or both. The resentment
| + | |
| - | against synthetic biology would rather be on the basis on the fact that the population might not embrace a
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| - | foreign initiative.
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| - | </p>
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