There are health concerns related to GMOs

The argument

There are several health concerns related to GMOs, and the first is about the state of the evidence rather than about any single risk. On this argument, the consensus amongst the scientific community that GMOs are safe has been exaggerated: the tests on GMOs have resulted in data that is not clear, and analysis of the research has resulted in different conclusions. Where the underlying studies support more than one reading, critics argue, a confident declaration of safety claims more than the research itself establishes. Several specific health issues are then raised. First, GMOs could transfer antibiotic-resistant genes to the bacteria in our bodies — a concern about the resistance markers used in the modification process rather than about the crop itself. Second, the modifications of the genes of these crops could produce new toxins, since altering what a plant manufactures may yield compounds that were not previously part of the food supply. Third, these foods could produce new allergic reactions due to their DNA being modified, because a protein the human immune system has not encountered before is a new candidate for a reaction. Finally, on this argument GMOs are bad for people's health because of all the herbicides that are used on GM crops. GMOs result in more herbicide use: a report from 2001-2010 found that herbicide use increased by 26% as weed resistance increased because of GMOs, so the crops are said to drive an escalating chemical load rather than a shrinking one. What is being applied matters as much as how much. Glyphosate (a chemical in herbicides) has been characterized as a probable human carcinogen. Glyphosate also can stop plants from absorbing the minerals that it needs, which means that GM crops can be lacking in minerals. On these three grounds — contested evidence, direct risks, and herbicide exposure — proponents of this position hold that GMOs are bad.

Context

Genetically modified (GM) foods contain at least one ingredient coming from a plant with an altered genetic composition. Genetic modification, also known as genetic engineering, often introduces new, desirable characteristics to plants, such as greater resistance to pests. Many U.S. crops are grown using genetically engineered seeds, including a large share of the soybean, corn, cotton, and canola crop. As a result, the majority of processed foods in the U.S. contain at least one genetically modified ingredient. Despite the growing use of genetically modified crops over the past 20 years, most Americans say they know only a little about GM foods. And many people appear to hold “soft” views about the health effects of GM foods, saying they are not sure about whether such foods are better or worse for one’s health.

Premises

Counter-arguments

Extensive research and decades of consumption have shown no health risks associated with GMOs. In fact, GMOs have been tested more than any other food. Over the last 30 years, there has been no evidence that GMOs are harmful to people. The safety of GMOs has been widely agreed upon by the scientific community, with more than 275 global science organizations coming to the same conclusion that GMOs are as safe as non-GMOs.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1-P4] Extensive research has shown no health risks associated with GMOs.