Sustainability, Benefit to the Community and Ethics

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The Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board“community” means primarily Norway.But a negative delimitation is also needed– it does not encompass the whole world.Considerations of this type would largely becovered by aspects related to “sustainabledevelopment”. However, the term “primarily”is indication that it might be useful to assessthe situation in our part of the world – alsooutside Norway’s borders. Furthermore, itmight be relevant to consider the matterof societal changes over time, e.g. the factthat there will always be changes occurringin what is perceived as a necessity or aninconvenience. This type of assessment mayeasily develop into something comprehensiveand speculative. Other, more fundamental,long-term assessments are covered by theconsiderations of “sustainable development”.The Biotechnology Advisory Board believes,therefore, that any assessment of “benefitto the community” must primarily beundertaken in the light of the situationprevailing today or of the near future.In the opinion of the Biotechnology AdvisoryBoard, it might be useful to divide checklistquestions into two groups:- product characteristics- production and use of the productChecklist questionsProduction and use of the productAmong the relevant aspects to be consideredare:- Does the product contribute to creatingnew employment opportunitiesin general and in rural areas inparticular?- Does the product contribute to creatingnew employment opportunities inother countries?- Does the product create problems forexisting production whose existenceshould otherwise be preserved?- Does the product create problems forexisting production in other countries?(This list of questions is not meant to beexhaustive, but primarily to serve as anindication of the type of questions that shouldbe considered).CommentAny assessment of benefit to the communitymust be based on a discussion of the responsesas a whole. However, it should be emphasizedthat every question may not be equallyrelevant in all instances.Product characteristics- Is it reasonable to say that there isa need for the product in terms ofdemand or otherwise?- Is it reasonable to say that the productwill solve or possibly contribute tosolving a societal problem?- Is it reasonable to say that the productis significantly better than equivalentproducts already on the market?- Is it reasonable to say that there arealternatives that are better than theproduct in terms of solving or possiblycontributing to solving the societalproblem in question?16
Sustainability, Benefit to the Community and Ethics in the Assessment of Genetically Modified Organisms7. Other ethical and socialconsiderationsThe Gene Technology Act aims “to ensurethat the production and use of geneticallymodified organisms takes place in an ethicallyand socially justifiable way…” (Section 1).This brings in the concept of “ethically andsocially justifiable”. Section 10 of the Act,which stipulates the criteria for approval,makes no reference to such a concept(other than what is implied by the terms“sustainable development” and “benefit to thecommunity”). Nonetheless, the BiotechnologyAdvisory Board finds that the reference to“other ethical and social considerations”constitutes an independent criterion thatmust be considered in all applications forapproval. This opinion is further corroboratedby the legislative history of the Act. It is,moreover, the type of issue that is specificallyemphasized in the Board’s mandate.According to the first paragraph of itsmandate, the Biotechnology Advisory Boardis “to assess general questions, or questions ofprinciple concerning biotechnological activity,including ethical and social questions”.AssessmentThe preparatory work of the Act providessome guidance on how the term “otherethical and social considerations” is to beunderstood, i.e. the type of considerationsthat may be included. In the propositionOt. prp 6 . No. 8, it is stated that the purposeof the Gene Technology Act is “… to ensurethat modern biotechnology is utilized for thecommon good and in keeping with the ethicalvalues on which our society is founded”. In theWhite Paper to the Storting No. 25 (1992-93)entitled “Humankind and biotechnology”, itis stated that we must “root our positions inethical principles that enjoy broad acceptancein Norwegian society”. This is expressed evenmore precisely in the Recommendation to theStorting 3 No. 155 (1990-91):”The Committee underlines thatlegislation and guidelines must befounded on fundamental norms that,in the Committee’s view, must form anethical basis for developments in the fieldof biotechnology, i.e. on the Christianhumanisticvalue base and on respectfor the value of human life, humankind’sabsolute value, human rights, the principleof equality and solidarity and on respectfor ecological balance and the integrity ofnature.”In the light of this, the Biotechnology AdvisoryBoard finds that it might be useful to make adistinction between ethical norms and valuesassociated with humankind and eco-ethical(the integrity of nature) circumstances andassessments. This provides a structure for thegrouping of checklist questions. An exampleof an eco-ethical issue would be the respectfor nature’s intrinsic value. In order for adeliberate release of genetically modifiedorganisms to be justifiable in terms of therespect for human equality, it must be likelythat sufficient consideration has been given insociety as a whole to the interests of any weakparties involved. Moreover, other aspects ofan application for approval, than merely theproduct’s characteristics or its production anduse, may also be brought in for consideration.There might, for example, be a question ofwhether the applicant can prove that thegenetic material used has been acquired inan ethically justifiable manner and underwhich (ethical) conditions the product is to bemarketed and distributed.The aim of any ethical reflection must be toenable us to make an assessment of whatis right and wrong, good or evil, in a moresystematic and reliable manner. When weask ourselves how we should act toward oneanother or how society should be organized,we must also look at the type of rules andguidelines that are commonly followed ineveryday life: how do individuals in fact actand how is society organized? These aredescriptive questions of what we call morals –our customs and practices, the norms that areknown and followed in society and the valuesthat are generally accepted. But we areconcerned not only about the way in whichpeople act in reality and the practices thathave developed in society. Generally speaking,we see that we are unable to find completeanswers to all such “should” questions bysimply ascertaining how things really are.In order to answer these questions wecannot be content with knowing which moral17
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