Test: Ethical Issues (NCERT) - NEET MCQ

Genetic modification of organisms can have unpredictable results when such organisms are introduced into the ecosystem. Therefore, the Indian Government has set up organisations such as GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee), which will make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM-organisms for public services.

NCERT Topic: Genetic Engineering Approval Committee

NCERT Line: "Therefore, the Indian Government has set up organisations such as GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee), which will make decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM-organisms for public services."

A patent is the right granted by government to an inventor to prevent others from commercial use of his invention. When patents are granted for biological entities and for products derived from them, these patents are called biopatents. Primarily, industrialised countries, like U.S.A., Japan and members of European Union, are awarding biopatents.

NCERT Topic: patents and biopiracy

NCERT Line: "Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment."

Biopiracy is exploitation of bioresources of a company by organisations and multinationals for commercial purpose with or without patent but without any Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement (ABA). Bioresources or biological resources are all those organisms which can provide commercial benefits. They are abundant in developing countries have traditional knowledge related in bioresources. On the other hand, developed countries are poor in bioresources but are rich in technology. Traditional knowledge helps in saving time, effort and expenditure in developing refined product for commercialisation. Therefore, based on traditional knowledge, institutions and companies of industrialised nations are collecting and exploiting bioresources of other nations by getting them patented. 

NCERT Topic: Biopiracy

NCERT Line: "Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment."

To match the terms correctly:

- Biopiracy refers to illegal removal of biological materials.
- Biopatent involves the right granted for biological entities.
- Gene therapy is the effort to fix non-functional genes.
- RNAi stands for gene silencing.

Therefore, the correct match is:
- A: Biopiracy - (iii) Illegal removal of biological materials
- B: Biopatent - (iv) Right granted for biological entities
- C: Gene therapy - (i) Effort to fix the non-functional gene
- D: RNAi - (ii) Gene silencing

Hence, the answer is option C.

Bioethics may be viewed as the set of standards that may be used to regulate various activities based on their effects on the biological world. This is because biotechnology has aroused social as well as political concerns, which have ranged from biotechnology being unnatural to detrimental to biodiversity.

NCERT Topic: Ethical issues

NCERT Line: "evaluate the morality of all human activities that might help or harm living organisms."

India is a country rich in tradition and expertise in natural medicines, spices, food preparations, biological pesticides and divers agriculture. Through painting without consist, foreign companies have collared at least 22 plants for their beneficial derivatives. Patients have been taken out on plants such as black papper (Piper nigrum), basmati rice (Oryaza sativa) Indian mustard (Brassica Campestris). Pomegranate (Punica granatum), turmeric (Curcuma domestica) and neem (Azadirachta indica). US, Japanse and German companies are the principal patenting pirates.

NCERT Topic: Indian plants and patents

NCERT Line: "Several attempts have also been made to patent uses, products and processes based on Indian traditional herbal medicines, e.g., turmeric neem."

The patent granted for biological entities and the products derived from them are called biopatents.
Oryza has been covered under the broad patent category.

Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with genetically modified (GM) food including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system.
One of the first cases of human benefit from genetic engineering was the production of human insulin in bacterial cells. Previous to this, diabetic patients were treated with pig insulin. Use of bacterially-derived human insulin has substantially reduced the number of animals used to produce insulin and also significantly reduces adverse reactions in diabetic patients as the molecule is identical to human insulin. Since the successful production of genetically engineered insulin, many other human proteins have been produced in this manner. This technology has improved millions of lives.

NCERT Topic: Ethical issues in genetic engineering

NCERT Line: "The current interest in the manipulation of microbes, plants, and animals has raised serious ethical questions."

In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US Patent and Trademark office. This allowed the company to sell a 'new' variety of Basmati, in the US and abroad. This 'new' variety of Basmati had actually been derived from Indian farmer's varieties. Indian Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or a novelty. The patent extends to functional equivalents, implying that other people selling Basmati rice could be restricted by the patent.

NCERT Topic: Basmati rice and patents

NCERT Line: "Basmati rice is distinct for its unique aroma and flavour and 27 documented varieties of Basmati are grown in India. In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US Patent and Trademark Office."

The Indian Parliament has cleared the second amendment of the Indian Patents Bill. It takes into consideration unauthorised exploitation of bio-resources. It also involves patent terms, emergency provisions and research and development initiative.

NCERT Topic: Indian Patents Bill

NCERT Line: "The Indian Parliament has recently cleared the second amendment of the Indian Patents Bill, that takes such issues into consideration, including patent terms emergency provisions and research and development initiative."