Public health, golden rice and irrational fear

Public health (clean water, sanitary sewers) has saved more lives than all biomedical interventions put together. The green revolution enabled human populations to expand beyond what were believed to be Malthusian limits. But the nutritional content of some foods can be improved, further preserving health and lives without the intermediation of heathcare professionals:

"White rice is the staple food in many developing countries, yet it lacks several key micronutrients. As a result, one in three children under the age of five is thought to suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a condition that causes blindness and weakens the immune system.

"According to the World Health Organization, up to 500,000 children lose their sight each year because of VAD, half of whom die within 12 months of going blind.

"Back in 2000, a solution to this global tragedy appeared to have been found when cell biologists Peter Beyer and Ingo Potrykus published details of their creation: Golden Rice. This genetically modified version of white rice had been adapted to produce an orange pigment called beta-carotene, which the body uses to manufacture vitamin A.

"Yet two decades later, global restrictions on Golden Rice have prevented it from being made available to those whose lives it could save. In a new book, science journalist Ed Regis chronicles the history of Golden Rice and assesses the many obstacles that have been put in its way."

Irrational fear and conspiracy theories are blunting the potential health impact of many interventions (e.g., golden rice, vaccines, mifepristone. Shame.

https://www.iflscience.com/restrictions-on-genetically-modified-golden-rice-may-have-cost-millions-of-lives-54086?fbclid=IwAR2nYasp4_Sivt1DY_m0y6PpRKRc_qIvs-LJUXIqpHHfFofn03npIuEQyXk