Comments: Apology can't eliminate golden rice worry

Fear originates from the unknown, but it also stems from intentional obscuration. I hope that the lesson of "golden rice" will allow us to treat "genetically modified" more scientifically and responsibly.

A few days ago, Tufts University of the United States apologized to researchers at the university for genetically modified “golden rice” human subjects for Chinese children. It admitted that the trial did not fully comply with the ethical review committee’s regulations and US federal regulations. Related researchers It was punished. It has been more than a year since the “golden rice” incident that set off an uproar. Tufts University’s apology has been late and it is even more difficult to end this incident.

The discussion of the safety and risk of gold rice as a genetically modified food has always existed. Even Gordon Conway, the former chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation of the United States, admitted: “Golden rice is still just a product under development. It also requires a lot of in-depth scientific research.” From the ethical aspect of scientific research, no one guinea pig has gone through a lot. Before testing, long-term testing, and obtaining scientific certification, the safety risks are always there. At this time, we should be cautious, strict and standardized, and we must not violate the basic humanities and laws and regulations to take children as mice. The dark scene behind "Golden Rice" is a shame to the scientific community and brings unpredictable hidden dangers.

In the apology statement, Tufts University admitted on the one hand that it violated academic ethics and American law, that there were flaws in the process of obtaining informed consent, that the research project leader had arbitrarily changed and implemented the research process; on the other hand, it The Chinese children did not have any compensation measures, but instead claimed that "the research data were accurate, the research results were credible, and the subjects' health was not affected." A test process of violating the law and breaking the law can actually obtain a safe and credible test result. This is tantamount to making people believe that "the disease can produce good results." It is rather evasive, self-contradictory, and persuasive. There is no doubt that the sincerity has been discounted.

In fact, children and parents in the “Golden Rice” incident still live in worries. After all, "golden rice" is not an anthelmintic. It is okay now. It does not mean that nothing will happen in the future. It does not mean that there is no potential hazard. The "accidents" have many manifestations. All this takes time to test. Need to use solid scientific evidence to answer. It is no wonder that such an apology has caused many parents involved to say “not accepting” and can not dispel their suspicions in the bottom of their hearts.

At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Health of China announced the top ten news of China's health in 2012. The “Golden Rice” incident was included in it, sounding the alarm for moral integrity in scientific research. As the saying goes, flies are not a seamless egg. While carrying out international cooperation and exploring unknown areas, it is also necessary for domestic scientific research institutions and management departments to crack down on how to strengthen supervision, ensure good control, and prevent “golden rice” from repeating itself. Question.

Reflection on the "golden rice" incident is an important issue in the information asymmetry, opaque under the sea, obscure operations, artificially magnified the experimental risk. A few days ago, some authoritative media released a list of genetically modified foods. The once-violating cherry tomatoes, small pumpkins, and small cucumbers were not genetically modified foods, which made people eat a certain amount of reassurance pills. However, the existence of these misunderstandings in turn explains the research and production of GM foods, and their information transparency is far from enough. Fear originates from the unknown, but it also stems from intentional obscuration. I hope that the lesson of "golden rice" will allow us to treat "genetically modified" more scientifically and responsibly.