The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Work with Me
    • Speaking
    • Giveaways
    • Social Media Consulting
    • Sponsored and Guest Posts
  • About Me
    • Media
    • Terms of Use

Biotechnology Benefits Medicine, Too

August 25, 2014

During the recent Ebola outbreak, most people were unaware that the experimental drugs that were used to treat American missionaries that had caught the virus were actually created using biotechnology. In my article on the life-saving ZMapp drug, I explained that small biotech companies were developing the product by using what is referred to as passive immunotherapy.

But what might further surprise you is that there are actually a lot of medications that are created by using biotechnology.

In fact, according to PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, there are over 900 biotech drugs currently in the pipeline or under review by the FDA that may be used to treat over 100 debilitating or life-threatening illnesses, including cancer. It certainly isn’t hard to imagine that biotechnology has blown open the door open on scientific research for cures and treatments of a whole host of conditions.

Insulin, which is a key piece of treatment for people suffering from diabetes, is also made from biotech processes. Caroline Coatney, who is currently a graduate student in Plant Biology at the University of Georgia, explained on Biofortified how biotechnology is used to make insulin:

Insulin is made, in principle, the same way the GMO corn starch and GMO sugar in Cheerios is. To start, the DNA sequence for human insulin is inserted into the bacteria E. coli, which creates an organism that now has DNA from two very different species in it. This new E. coli is a genetically modified organism (GMO) and serves as a cheap factory for mass-producing the human insulin protein. After a while, the E. coli bacteria has produced large amounts of the human protein to the point where the protein can be extracted from the bacteria cells and purified before being packaged into insulin shots. The insulin protein produced via genetic engineering is chemically identical to the insulin protein made in a healthy human body.

(Source: GMO Cheerios v. GMO Insulin) Caroline also explained that the process for genetically engineering much of our crops in agriculture undergoes the same or similar steps. Just as in medicine, the corn starch or sugars made from non-GMO plants turn out chemically equivalent to those made with GMOs.

But what about people that are opposed to biotechnology in agriculture? Are they seriously against these medications that can, quite literally, save someone’s life?

It seems the answer is yes.

One anti-GMO group tried to be “consistent” by urging followers, with a scary looking graphic, to stop taking insulin because it is made through genetic modification. (I decided not to share it on here because I believe that type of “advice” is not only wrong, but unethical.) Thankfully, Facebook had the good sense to take down the photo, but who knows how many people stopped their medicine before that was done. Not to mention that the graphic likely lives on in some other social media medium.

I hope that not all anti-GMO crowds would be quite so hostile. I do think that most people are leery about GMOs simply because they do not understand how it works. For those of us that do not use scientific analysis every day, these terms and concepts can be confusing and overwhelming. Medicine is already foreign and difficulty to understand; agriculture is more personal and part of our lives every single day.  But the link between life-saving medicine and biotechnology that benefits agriculture should be something we all celebrate.

Just like people recognize the advantages of using biotech in medicine, we can also see the advantages in agriculture. I don’t think we will ever completely eradicate hunger or disease from the world, but we can certainly work toward those goals. In order to do that though, people will need to recognize that you don’t necessarily have to be afraid of things that you don’t fully  understand. That can start with biotechnology in both medicine and agriculture.

signature
Share this:
«
»

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: FDA, GMO

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe via Email

Archives

Latest on Facebook

The Farmer's Daughter

3 days ago

The Farmer's Daughter

Do you a plan for your estate? My latest for AGDAILY focuses on potential changes to the federal estate tax.

... See MoreSee Less

Perspective: A farmer's legacy shouldn't be a tax nightmare for their kin

www.agdaily.com

For farm families, estate taxes aren’t just an abstract policy debate -- they’re a very real threat to generational farms and the livelihoods they support.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

1 week ago

The Farmer's Daughter

If nothing else, this should keep you up at night. Every snake oil salesman is now in charge of HHS.

... See MoreSee Less

How RFK Jr. Is Boosting ‘Food Babe’ and Other MAHA Acolytes

www.wsj.com

The health and human services secretary has elevated lightly regulated wellness companies and allowed advisers to keep investments, after vowing to end conflicts of interest.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

3 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

These concepts aren't mutually exclusive.

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

4 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

Imagine getting to donate a substantial amount of money to a charity of *your* choice and you choose....an animal rights activist group with questionable intentions??

... See MoreSee Less

Why agricultural advocates are lashing out at Celebrity Jeopardy! | AGDAILY

www.agdaily.com

David Friedberg, founder of The Climate Corporation, is drawing ire for his "charity" of choice on Celebrity Jeopardy!: Humane World for Animals.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

1 month ago

The Farmer's Daughter

RFK, Jr. and Elon Musk could have the duel of the century. I explain in my latest for AGDAILY

... See MoreSee Less

RFK Jr.: The most inefficient man in Trump's government | AGDAILY

www.agdaily.com

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s strategy for attacking research plays well with populist distrust in institutions, but it falls apart under scientific standards.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

Latest on Instagram

Amanda Zaluckyj

thefarmersdaughterusa

Amanda | The Farmer's Daughter USA
I'm a proud farmer's daughter & advocate for modern agriculture. U.S. farmers are leaders in sustainability.

Perusing my photos from #Denmark and getting the i Perusing my photos from #Denmark and getting the itch to travel again.
These concepts aren't mutually exclusive. #farms # These concepts aren't mutually exclusive. #farms #farmfamily #environment #soilhealth #nutritiousfood
Stop worrying about labels and just eat them! Stop worrying about labels and just eat them!
Corn is a powerhouse! #corn #farming #growcorn # Corn is a powerhouse! 

#corn #farming #growcorn #USAGrown #usagriculture
Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀 Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀
The blood moon. 🌙 And proof I woke up at 2:15 a The blood moon. 🌙 And proof I woke up at 2:15 am to see it!
3 years. 💔 #slavaukraini #supporukraine #ukrai 3 years. 💔

#slavaukraini #supporukraine #ukraine #glorytoukraine🇺🇦
Mischa will not suffer a snowman in her yard. ❄️☃️

#dogslife #dogsofinstagram #blacklab #pittiemix #snowday #snowman
We all know RFK, Jr. is well known for vaccine dis We all know RFK, Jr. is well known for vaccine disinformation. But he's also a danger to agriculture, even promising to "weaponize" regulatory agencies against our farm families.

#rfk #farmersdaughter #farmers #conspiracytheories #puremichiganfarm #rfkjr
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs