New concern: genetic modified animals to be a big environmental and health risk

By Bharat Dogra
As though the havoc created by GM crops was not adequate, several experimental efforts relating to genetically modified or engineered animals are bringing a wide range of new risks and uncertainties. These include health hazards relating to transfer of diseases from genetically engineered animals to normal animals as well as to human beings. In addition there are the additional risks from consuming the food based on or obtained from genetically engineered animals. Then of course there are grave doubts regarding the scientific basis of the technology and to what extent it can actually succeed in achieving its aim regarding transfer of certain genetic traits, quite from the hazards involved in this, as well as the ethics of playing around with an uncertain technology regardless of serious harm that may be caused to the health and welfare of animals in the process.
Some of the earlier efforts in this direction relating to pigs and sheep turned out to be quite disastrous, as is evident from a review published in The Ecologist. In this widely quoted paper titled 'The Biotechnology Bubble' Dr. Mae-Wan Ho (of Bio-Electrodynamics Lab of the Open University in the UK), Joe Cummins (Professor Emeritus of Genetics in Canada) and Hartmut Meyer summarized the results of several experiments, trials and commercial releases of GMOs, with special emphasis on animals. They wrote : "There are many signs of the problems caused in genetic engineering organisms. For every product that reaches the market, there are perhaps 20 or more that fail. It is particularly disastrous for animal welfare.
 The "super-pig" engineered with human growth hormone gene turned out arthritic, ulcerous, blind and impotent.
 The 'super-salmon" engineered, again, to grow as fast as possible, with genes belonging to other fish, ended up with big monstrous heads and died from not being able to see, breathe or feed properly.
 The clones of the transgenic sheep Dolly are abnormal and eight times as likely to die at birth compared with ordinary lambs.
 Even products that reach the market are failing, including crops that have been widely planted.
The authors of this widely quoted paper concluded: "It is important to realize that the failures are not just teething problems. They are very much the result of a reductionist science and a hit or miss technology. The transgenic foods created are unwholesome, because they involve stressing the developmental and metabolic system of organisms out of balance. There are bound to be unintended effects including toxins and allergens, which current risk assessments are designed to conceal rather than reveal. The major problem is the instability of transgenic lines."
In a note on ‘Risks Associated with GM Farm Animals’ the Federation of American Farm Scientists has stated—The genetic engineering of farm animals entails certain risks. It is possible, for example, that the experience of novel proteins can cause allergic reactions to susceptible people. There are also potential risks to the environment and problems relating to lack of transparency.
A research paper prepared by the Humane Society of the USA (HSUSA) and titled ‘Welfare Issues with Genetic Engineering and Cloning of Farm Animals’ has stated—“Developments in biotechnology have raised new concerns about animal welfare as farm animals (may) now have their genomes modified ( genetically engineered ) or copied ( cloned) to propagate certain traits useful to agribusiness such as meat yield or feed conversion. These animals suffer from unusually high rates of birth defects, disabilities and immature deaths.”
Further this paper prepared by the HSUSA reviews the recent research in this area to tell us—“Recent cloning research also reveals high failure rates, premature deaths, and such abnormalities as intestinal blockages, diabetes, shortened tendons, deformed feet, weakened immune systems, dysfunctional hearts, brain, liver and kidneys, respiratory distress and circulatory problems.”
According to a review quoted in this paper, less than 5% of all cloned embryos transferred into recipient cows survived. This paper has lamented the lack of regulations in this work to protect the welfare of animals.
These and related concerns should be raised more and more to prevent the genetic modification of animals from becoming as big an environmental and health risk as the technology of GM crops has become.
---
The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His books include ‘India’s Quest for Sustainable Farming and Healthy Food', ‘14 Questions About GM Crops’ and ‘A Day in 2071’

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Bangladesh alternative more vital for NE India than Kaladan project in Myanmar

By Mehjabin Bhanu* There has been a recent surge in the number of Chin refugees entering Mizoram from the adjacent nation as a result of airstrikes by the Myanmar Army on ethnic insurgents and intense fighting along the border between India and Myanmar. Uncertainty has surrounded India's Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project, which uses Sittwe port in Myanmar, due to the recent outbreak of hostilities along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. Construction on the road portion of the Kaladan project, which runs from Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, was resumed thanks to the time of relative calm during the intermittent period. However, recent unrest has increased concerns about missing the revised commissioning goal dates. The project's goal is to link northeastern states with the rest of India via an alternate route, using the Sittwe port in Myanmar. In addition to this route, India can also connect the region with the rest of India through Assam by using the Chittagon...

Search This Blog