Using genetic engineering,
new improved varieties of crops can be produced
more quickly than with conventional
breeding methods. Crops can be modified to
have valuable characteristics such as tolerance to
drought and herbicides, resistance to disease
and insects, as well as improved nutritional content.
Medicine:
• Insulin as a treatment for diabetes was the
first commercial healthcare product produced
by GMOs. Bacteria were genetically modified
to have a copy of the human insulin gene,
and the protein is synthesized by the bacteria.
• GMOs can produce other medicines such as
growth hormone.