Is biotechnology a victim of anti-science bias in scientific journals?
Primarily outside the scientific community, misapprehensions and misinformation about recombinant DNA-modified (also known as 'genetically modified', or 'GM') plants have generated significant 'pseudo-controversy' over their safety that has resulted in unscientific and excessive regulation (with attendant inflated development costs) and disappointing progress. But pseudo-controversy and sensational claims have originated within the scientific community as well, and even scholarly journals' treatment of the subject has been at times unscientific, one-sided and irresponsible. These shortcomings have helped to perpetuate 'The Big Lie' - that recombinant DNA technology applied to agriculture and food production is unproven, unsafe, untested, unregulated and unwanted. Those misconceptions, in turn, have given rise to unwarranted opposition and tortuous, distorted public policy.
Miller
Henry I
HI
The Hoover Institution, 434 Galvez Mall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-6010, USA. miller@hoover.stanford.edu
Morandini
Piero
P
Ammann
Klaus
K
D001709:Biotechnology; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011287:Prejudice; D011639:Public Opinion; D011640:Public Policy; D012586:Science