Genetically-Engineered Microbes Pose an Unspeakable Risk, But Most People Won't Tell You This

Image courtesy of Protect Nature Now

“There could be unintended consequences to the environment generally or the health and safety of our employees or the public as a result of an unauthorized release of genetically modified materials into uncontrolled environments.” — Ginkgo Bioworks 2021 prospectus

If you read the statement above, it sounds terrifying.

Yet, whether it is in the media or at Natural Products Expo West (which actively promotes GMO 2.0 foods), the risks of these technologies are very often brushed aside. Even worse, GMO proponents tend to attack organic advocates for being environmentally irresponsible and reckless when these technologies are criticized.

What this points to is that unless someone is legally mandated to acknowledge the risks of GMO 2.0 foods, such as what Ginkgo Bioworks has done in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, they will not do so.

And there is more.

“The genetically engineered organisms and materials that we develop may have significantly altered characteristics compared to those found in the wild, and the full effects of deployment or release of our genetically engineered organisms and materials into uncontrolled environments may be unknown.” — Ginkgo Bioworks 10-K from 2022

“We could synthesize DNA sequences or engage in other activity that contravenes biosecurity requirements.” — Ginkgo Bioworks 10-Q for the period ended 3/31/22

These disclosures may very well be alluding to the inadvertent release of genetically-engineered microbes that many GMO 2.0 companies utilize and the completely unknown impacts they could have on our food supply and on the human microbiome.

“From a health and environment standpoint, the most dangerous GMOs are genetically-engineered microbes,” said Jeffrey Smith, founding executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and the founder of Protect Nature Now, a movement to safeguard the global microbiome. “GE-microbes may circle the globe with alarming speed, mutate and exchange genetic material with other species. They also may promote human disease, and damage or collapse ecosystems.”

For example, harmful GE-microbes in the soil could negatively interact with fungi and bacteria in the ground, attack and kill plants, spread to other farms and potentially eliminate our ability to grow organic food. As shown in the recent documentary Don’t Let the Genie Out of the Bottle, we were two weeks away from the release of a GE-microbe that might have caused such a disaster.

“Many lab-grown meat and precision fermentation companies are using GE-microbes and mutated animal cells, and so the possibility that something goes wrong is very real,” echoed Alan Lewis, vice president of regulatory affairs at Natural Grocers and one of the industry’s most knowledgeable activists. Alan was recently banned from LinkedIn for his opinions related to this subject.

As we have just experienced with the worldwide pandemic over the past few years, the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread around the globe like wildfire, killing millions of people and destroying economies. Once it was in the atmosphere, it could not be recalled.

But it gets worse.

“Harmful GE-microbes might enter into our intestinal tract, swap genes with our existing microbiome and cause potentially catastrophic damage. When we explain the risks to doctors who understand how critical the microbiome is for health, there’s an OMG moment. They suddenly realize that releasing engineered microbes puts us all in unprecedented danger,” said Jeffrey Smith.

Unfortunately, the microbes are not just originating from GMO 2.0 companies. Lab equipment and CRISPR kits, a gene-editing tool, are available for sale to anyone online.

WHAT TO DO

Just like the grass-roots movement seeking to halt the development of artificial intelligence for six months, the same must be done with genetically-engineered microbes.

Protect Nature Now is spearheading this effort and is calling for at least a temporary ban on releasing GE-microbes into the environment.

“This has to happen globally, and we need collaboration with individuals and organizations all over the world who understand that the microbiome must be protected,” put forth Jeffrey Smith. “With such a movement, we will have the power to create national laws and international treaties needed to protect our health, our environment and our future. But time is of the essence.”

Until then, whenever GMO 2.0 advocates dismiss the worry about these technologies, the lawyers and bankers of publicly-traded GMO 2.0 companies will tell you otherwise.

Be sure to watch the short film “Don’t Let the Genie Out of the Bottle” to learn more.

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