Biology · Biotechnology and Its Applications · NEET
Because the manipulation of living organisms cannot continue without regulation. Genetic modification of organisms can have unpredictable results when such organisms are introduced into the ecosystem. So ethical standards are needed to judge the morality of activities that may help or harm living organisms, and to protect biological safety.
GEAC stands for Genetic Engineering Approval Committee. The Indian Government set it up to make decisions about the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services (like food and medicine). In simple words, GEAC is the government body that approves or rejects the use of genetically modified organisms in India. For NEET, remember GEAC = the approval and biosafety authority for GMOs.
Biopiracy is the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned, and without any compensatory payment. Industrialised nations are often rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge, while developing nations are rich in both, so their resources can be exploited unfairly.
A patent is a legal right to an invention. Biopiracy is patenting or using bio-resources and traditional knowledge that were actually developed by farmers and indigenous people, and claiming it as a 'new' invention without permission or payment. So biopiracy is unfair use, and the patent becomes the tool that makes it possible.
In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice from the US Patent and Trademark Office and sold it as a 'new' variety. But this 'new' Basmati was actually derived from Indian farmers' varieties, crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention. India has about 27 documented Basmati varieties, so this is a classic example of biopiracy discussed in NCERT.
Not only crops. Several attempts have been made to patent uses, products and processes based on Indian traditional herbal medicines, for example turmeric and neem. This is why India has strengthened its laws, including the second amendment of the Indian Patents Bill, to prevent unauthorised exploitation of bio-resources and traditional knowledge.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
One, the safety of genetically modified organisms because their release into the ecosystem can be unpredictable (controlled by GEAC). Two, patents and biopiracy, where bio-resources and traditional knowledge are used or patented without permission or payment (the Basmati rice example).
GEAC stands for Genetic Engineering Approval Committee. It is an Indian Government organisation that judges the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.
An American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US Patent and Trademark Office in 1997, using varieties derived from Indian farmers' Basmati. This is a standard example of biopiracy in NCERT.
Because developing and underdeveloped countries are rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge about bio-resources, while industrialised nations are financially rich but poor in these. So their resources are exploited to develop commercial products without fair benefit sharing.
The Indian Parliament cleared the second amendment of the Indian Patents Bill, which takes such issues into consideration, including patent terms, emergency provisions, and research and development initiatives, to prevent unauthorised exploitation.
