Market and Politics: Issues with Genetically Modified Organisms

This study discusses the issues surrounding genetically modified organisms in the market and politics. It covers the scope, scale, market feasibility, political aspects, and recommendations. The study tries to create a balance between the market requirements and the political scenario surrounding the use of genetically modified organisms.

Running head: MARKET AND POLITICS
Market and Politics
Name of the student
University name
Author’s note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Scope..........................................................................................................................................2
Scale...........................................................................................................................................3
Market feasibility.......................................................................................................................4
Political aspects of the genetically modified organisms............................................................6
Recommendations......................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
People have been trying to alter the animals and the plants for several years through
the old and traditional breeding techniques. Recently, the developments in the genetic
engineering have assisted the researchers to incorporate accurate changes into the organism
through the insertion of new genes into an organism. The genetically modified organisms are
the agricultural plants that are the most cited examples. There are some inherent benefits of
genetically modified food crops like greater food security, disease and pest resistant crops,
reduced costs of the drug or food production. Certain crops that have already been genetically
modified are plum, canola, corn and soybean. There are different types of the industries that
benefit from the genetically modified organisms. For instance, microorganisms are under
research that can be used as bio degraders and also will be able to produce clean fuel
(Nature.com. 2018). This study is based on the genetically modified organisms and the
various issues that are arising in the in the market of the genetically modified organism
business field and the associated politics which is preventing it to reach the general mass and
the market.
Scope
The study tries to create a balance between the market requirements and the political
scenario surrounding the use of genetically modified organisms. In the last decade, there has
been increased focus upon the use of genetically modified organisms particularly in the
medicine and the food industry. The genetic mutations caused within a number of species
were used affirmatively for the production of recombinant proteins (Tosun & Schaub, 2017).
As mentioned by Boccia (2015), the recombinant products either found usage in the food
industry or the medicine industry. The dependence upon genetically modified animal
products has been particularly found use in the third world or the developing nations. As

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supported by Twardowski & Małyska (2015), the GMO has been seen to reduce the food
hunger or drive away the issue of malnutrition within the population.
There are two different aspects of using recombinant DNA technology for altering the
genetic sequences in organisms. It is mainly used for the production of genetically modified
products such as recombinant drugs, which could be used for the betterment of the mankind.
Additionally, the pharmaceutical companies are using the GMOs for gaining market profits
long with allowing additional treatment options to the population. However, recently there
have been a number of issues on the political frontier regarding the use of GMO (Tosun &
Schaub, 2017). Some of these are the health concerns which mainly focus upon the side
effects which can happen due to the consumption of GMO for longer periods of time.
The lack of knowledge regarding the GMO affects both the marketers and the
customers alike. Therefore, transparent dissemination of knowledge is required over the same
as little knowledge can lead to wrong selection of products affecting consumer health.
Scale
A study was conducted by Pew Research Centre and found that 39 percent of the
Americans have a belief that the genetically modified food crops are worse for health (Funk
and Kennedy 2018). One of the major and the vital issues that arose due to the emergence of
genetically modified food crops in the market is the power has shifted from the local organic
farmers to the biotechnology companies and the companies that are exclusively
manufacturing the genetically modified organisms. Some of the major organic farmers have
shared their opinion that the companies have gained the market control over the production of
the food and crops. Another major concern is the too much dependence of the third world
countries on the genetically modified food crops. This issue has affected global and national

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food and drug development industries alike, where the GDP from GMO still lies at 23.15
globally indicating less purchase (Tosun & Hartung, 2018).
Market feasibility
Here, the marketing challenges and failure of introducing GMO have been discussed
in details. One of the major issues which are faced in the marketing of GMO is the lack of
knowledge in the participants regarding the products. Due to lack of effective information
and ideal outcome is not achieved. The Food and Drug administration (FDA) had proposed a
revised guideline in order to clarify its approach regarding the regulation of intentionally
altered genomic DNA in animals. The section FD&C includes articles intended to use in
diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment and prevention of disease in man and animals.
Therefore, all the articles used for the diagnosis along with the procedure need to follow the
guidelines listed in the FD&C. Thus, failure to follow the guidelines can lead to legal
barricades where the drugs invented through the use of recombinant DNA technology has
been often been termed unfit for use (Rzymski & Królczyk, 2016) This serves as major
hindrance to the marketing of the GMO. The guidelines effectively cover some of the basic
questions pertaining to the safety of the altered genomic products, surrounding human,
animal and environmental risks. Therefore, in the lack of effective follow up with the FDA
guidelines and principles there are legal obligations. Most of the producers lack a clear stated
policy regarding National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which informs the public
regarding the process FDA is using to later the genomic sequences in e animals for the
production of recombinant drugs (Tosun & Hartung, 2018). This further leads to greater level
of doubt in the minds of the target customer group, which further hinders the sale of the
product. In order to understand the market advantages of GMO a SWOT analysis could be
performed as follows.

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Strength Weakness
 Increased production of drugs
which helps in meeting the
demand of the population by
providing faster and more
effective drugs
 The intensified
macronutrients helps in
reducing the challenges of
malnutrition
 Less knowledge regarding
the GMO products
 Additional FDA guidelines
restricting the scope of
innovation (Tosun &
Hartung, 2018)
Opportunities Threats
 More demand of food in the third
world nations
 Increased health support requirements
of the backward section of the
population
 Rise of political activism
 Rise of health concerns within the
population
 Increased side effects or allergies
caused by certain drugs (Rzymski &
Królczyk, 2016)
 Harm imposed upon the biodiversity
by harming animals
 Competition from similar market
competitors
Table: SWOT analysis of GMO
(Source: author)

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Analysis:
From the analysis one of the major drawbacks which have surfaced is less knowledge
possessed by the consumers as well as the producers regarding the product which leads to
product imbalances.
Political aspects of the genetically modified organisms
A news article published in The Washington Post which titled that the American
government is working on countering the misinformation regarding the GMO food crops.
According to the article, the Food and Drug Administration will provide funds for a
campaign that will work for the promotion of the genetically modified food crops. This is
done under a bipartisan agreement so that the government keeps on funding. In this regard,
more than 50 food and agricultural industrial groups have signed a letter in order to counter
the funding process (Washington Post 2018). The political controversy is that the self-
sufficiency in terms of the food security of developing nations is threatened by the big
biotechnology companies are based in North America. These companies are earning huge
revenues and sweeping away the profits from the developing countries. Europe has stricter
regulatory laws in comparison to the United States. There is another school of thought which
says that due to the disapproval and mistrust there and the protectionist policies taken up by
Europe hinders the movement of the genetically modified organisms. Zambian political crisis
occurred in the year 2003 when Zambia refused genetically modified crops. Zambia rejected
the genetically modified maize which was under a food program initiative taken up by United
Nations. It was however later found that the Zambian government has later amended its

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policies and chose to approve the genetically modified maize into the country
(Geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk 2018).
In terms of the politics, the genetically modified food crops remain one of the most
controversial issues over the several governments. The United States remains one of the
biggest producers of the genetically modified crops, while in Britain there have been
turbulences both with respect to the general public and at the political level
(Geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk 2018).
There are instances of debacle in France with respect to the lawlessness and politics.
There have been several issues regarding the position of the government and researches
carried out in the field of genetically modified food crops and the associated technologies and
the experiments. There have been complications regarding the cultivation of the genetically
modified maize in the country from the perspectives of the farmers (Kuntz 2014). It has
become a fashion with respect to the opposition in the consumer and the environmental
protection movement by the social part and the Green party in Germany (Katzek 2014).
Recommendations
Thus, form the above study it can be concluded that the genetically modified
organisms are introduced in the market with the intention of increasing the crop yield so that
the food can be sustained and fed to the ever-growing population. The complication,
however, arises when it has been found that the genetically modified food may have adverse
effect on the environment and the population as a whole. This has led to the worldwide
protest both from the government and the consumers that are unwilling to accept the
genetically modified food.
Therefore, maintaining transparency with regards to the FDA guidelines while
reaching out the customers can help in clearing of the vague concepts related to GMO within

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the target customers. The companies need to launch the animal derived products in lieu of the
NEPA act which could reduce the political barriers.
References
Boccia, F. (2015). Genetically modified organisms: what issues in the Italian
market?. Calitatea, 16(145), 105.
Funk, C. and Kennedy, B., 2018. The New Food Fights: U.S. Public Divides Over Food
Science. [online] Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Available
at: http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/01/the-new-food-fights/ [Accessed 29
Mar. 2018].
Geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk, 2018. Political Effects of GM Foods. [online]
Geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk. Available at:
http://www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk/political-effects-gm-foods.html
[Accessed 29 Mar. 2018].
Katzek, J., 2014. At the end of the day everything boils down to politics: The evolving of
German policy toward GMO crops and the existing stagnation. GM crops &
food, 5(3), pp.178-182.
Kuntz, M., 2014. The GMO case in France: politics, lawlessness and postmodernism. GM
crops & food, 5(3), pp.163-169.
Nature.com., 2018. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) | Learn Science at Scitable.
[online] Available at: https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-
modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732 [Accessed 29 Mar.
2018].

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Rzymski, P., & Królczyk, A. (2016). Attitudes toward genetically modified organisms in
Poland: to GMO or not to GMO?. Food Security, 8(3), 689-697.
Tosun, J., & Hartung, U. (2018). Decentralising competences in multi-level systems: insights
from the regulation of genetically modified organisms. West European
Politics, 41(3), 803-823.
Tosun, J., & Schaub, S. (2017). Mobilization in the European Public Sphere: The struggle
over genetically modified organisms. Review of Policy Research, 34(3), 310-
330.
Twardowski, T., & Małyska, A. (2015). Uninformed and disinformed society and the GMO
market. Trends in biotechnology, 33(1), 1-3.
Washington Post, 2018. The government is going to counter ‘misinformation’ about GMO
foods. [online] Washington Post. Available at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/05/03/the-government-
is-going-to-try-to-convince-you-to-like-gmo-foods/?
utm_term=.6db9ad714a79 [Accessed 29 Mar. 2018].