| Criteria | Marks |
|---|
| Provides an extensive discussion of the ethical implications and impacts for society of the use of two biotechnologies | 7 |
| Provides a thorough discussion of the ethical implications and impacts for society of the use of two biotechnologies | 5–6 |
| Provides a sound discussion of the ethical implication(s) and/or impact(s) for society of the use of biotechnology/biotechnologies | 3–4 |
| Demonstrates some understanding of the ethical implication or benefit of the use of a biotechnology | 2 |
| Provides some relevant information | 1 |
Sample answer:
A plant biotechnology that is of benefit to society is recombinant DNA technology eg when used to produce Bt corn or Bt cotton.
Recombinant DNA technology has many ethical implications. For example, Bt corn seeds cost money to purchase each season, while farmers using normal corn seeds can regrow their crops each year from their own seeds. This leads to inequalities in who has access to these GM seeds, and thus access to markets to sell their products.
The use of selective breeding/hybridisation is a type of biotechnology used in animals eg hybridisation of dairy cows to produce greater milk yielding cows. This has ethical implications for example, the side-effect of continuously selecting for greater milk yield has been a decrease in fertility amongst these cows, and may affect quality of life for cows.
However, there are also many benefits to society of the use of recombinant DNA technology or selective breeding/hybridisation. For example:
- the production of more food like Bt corn which can allow the human population to continue to grow, or greater milk availability for consumers in society
- greater yields for farmers, leading to increased profits and quality of life for farmers.