At this point in time, bio-research and health sciences are making leaps and bounds in new technologies that have the potential to help us. At the same time, many of these same technologies are being released into the public sphere without adequate testing.
Friends of the Earth believes that we should have adequate and equal access to healthy foods and clean water; that scientific research should benefit humanity while protecting the essence of it; and that our most vulnerable populations are often at risk due to Industries that seek to better their bottom line, not the products they make.
Friends of the Earth’s synthetic biology campaign aims to safeguard the genetic material that is the basis of all life from commercial exploitation that would irrevocably alter naturally existing life-forms. We are fighting for a moratorium on the development and marketing of this technology until congress establishes safeguards.
Biotechnology and pharmaceutical research companies are cornering the genetics market by acquiring patents for newly decoded genetic material, a practice that has led to the patenting of up to one fifth of all human genes. Friends of the Earth is against the patenting of all life, especially the patenting of human life. Patents prevent people from gaining proper treatment for their genetic diseases and drastically hinders therapy research. We are working on a bill aimed at stopping human gene patenting.
Friends of the Earth initiated a Safe Kids campaign to ban toxic fire retardants in household products including upholstered furniture, mattresses, toys and carpets. These fire retardants have been linked to autism and hormonal abnormalities and their prohibition will protect the health of millions of children.
