Center for Bioethics Papers
Title
Why the Omega-3 Piggy Should Not Go to Market
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
December 2006
Abstract
The paper in your April issue by Lai et al. entitled "Generation of cloned transgenic pigs rich in omega-3 fatty acids" (Nat. Biotechnol. 24, 435–436, 2006) perfectly captures the fundamental problem with American biotech research. That problem is that scientists pursue their research agenda to further scientific knowledge - all well and good - but when the project succeeds they invent problems for which their research results can be marketed as a solution. This unreflective move from 'pure science' to commercialization may end up as biotech's undoing.
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Date Posted: 22 May 2007
This document has been peer reviewed.
Comments
Postprint version. Published in Nature Biotechnology, Volume 24, Issue 12, December 2006, pages 1472-1473.
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt1206-1472