The global discussion of genetically engineered crops has been heating up, and people are looking for answers to their questions. Are they safe to eat? Do they harm the environment? Does it make the foods radically different from what they were like before? And is there independent research besides the industry-funded science?
For the public, the scientific literature is generally not accessible. So it comes as no surprise that in our journey to help explain the science to the public and engage on this topic, the claim that there is no science, hardly any science, or only industry science conducted on genetically engineered crops kept coming up.
There is a bit of a mental shift that has occurred, which is akin to the change in perspective that you can get when you become a scientist. When talking about the safety of genetically engineered crops, it can be tempting to dismiss the studies that reach conclusions that you disagree with, or not include them for consideration on the basis of your assessment of the science or the scientists conducting it. People cherry-pick all the time to win arguments.
Related on the SLP
Biofortified is constructing the GENetic Engineering Risk Atlas–GENERA–to help the public and scientists navigate this research minefield.
Read the full, original story here: “Making sense of lists of studies”
