The reckless and basically unregulated genetic engineering of microbes poses an existential threat to the environment and human health, as we have learned the hard way from the current COVID-19 disaster.
A potential critical mass of the body politic now have serious concerns about the manipulation of microbes in laboratories around the world. These microbes are engineered to gain new “functions” (including virulence and transmissibility) with very little understanding about the impacts that these functions will have for human health and the environment, if they escape or are deliberately released from laboratories into the environment.
We strongly support an immediate moratorium on all Gain-of-Function research with the aim of having it banned.
Currently, gene engineers, working with industrial agriculture corporations, are planning to deliberately release genetically modified microbes into the environment. This is potentially just as dangerous, or even worse, than this current pandemic. Out-of-control genetic engineering and synthetic biology pose an existential threat to all life on earth, including humans.
We encourage everyone to watch the short trailer video from the Institute for Responsible Technology, Don’t Let the Gene Out of the Bottle.
This video clearly shows us why we need to ban these lab creations. The film is timed perfectly by being released in this current pandemic, because we all know how quickly one of these new diseases can spread around the world and the disasters it can cause.
Don’t Let the Gene Out of the Bottle is a call to action for humanity to protect itself and all future generations from the potentially catastrophic perils of genetically engineered microbes and viruses.
If gene edited microbes are released, they can permanently damage ecosystems and human health. Moreover, microbes travel the world, mutate, swap genetic material, and persist. Once released we cannot call them back — we can’t put the Franken-genie back in the bottle.
Visit www.ProtectNatureNow.com and share their vitally important film, Don’t Let the Gene Out of the Bottle, and the supporting materials with your community.