[Do current evaluation criteria regarding applied genetic techniques in the area of food ensure the public health protection? An environmental medicine-philosophic contribution].
The liberation and use of organisms that have been manipulated by genetic engineering must be viewed against the background of criteria related to human toxicology and general and public health as far as the production of foods and foodstuffs is concerned. This interdisciplinary study yielded the result that the examinations performed for the purpose of discovering possible pathogenic effects do not by themselves safeguard human health if they are based on the classical mechanistic model. Rather, the structural changes brought about by genetic engineering result in technicalising living organisms. Concepts such as "health" can no longer be applied to organisms manipulated by genetic engineers. The loss of characteristics typical of life within the horizon of human knowledge is fraught with impeding health risks. From the viewpoint of philosophy, the conceptual areas of causality, time and spontaneity are affected by the manipulations of gene technology. The authors point out that these areas lose their pretechnological meaning subject to changes conditioned by gene technology.
Abteilung für Allgemeine Hygiene und Umwelthygiene der Universität Göttingen.
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H
Dunkelberg
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S
Grätzel
D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005524:Food Technology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D012307:Risk Factors
Sichern die etablierten Beurteilungskriterien zur angewandten Gentechnik im Lebensmittelbereich das Schutzziel Gesundheit? Ein umweltmedizinisch-philosophischer Beitrag.