Editing Precautionary principle (section)

===Blocking innovation and progress generally===
{{See also|Fear, uncertainty and doubt}}
Because applications of strong formulations of the precautionary principle can be used to block innovation, a technology which brings advantages may be banned by precautionary principle because of its potential for negative impacts, leaving the positive benefits unrealised.<ref name="Sunstein">Sunstein, Cass R. [http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv25n4/v25n4-9.pdf The Paralyzing Principle: Does the Precautionary Principle Point us in any Helpful Direction?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070215223946/https://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv25n4/v25n4-9.pdf |date=15 February 2007 }} Regulation, Winter 2002–2003, The Cato Institute.</ref><ref>[[David Deutsch]],
[https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Beginning_of_Infinity.html?id=WFZl7YvsiuIC The Beginning of Infinity] Penguin Books (UK), Viking Press (US), 2011. {{ISBN|978-0-7139-9274-8}}</ref>{{rp|201}}<ref>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Morris SH, Spillane C|year=2008|title=GM directive deficiencies in the European Union|journal=EMBO Reports|volume=9|issue=6|pages=500–504|doi=10.1038/embor.2008.94|pmid=18516083|pmc=2427373}}</ref>

The precautionary principle has been ethically questioned on the basis that its application could block progress in developing countries.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jimenez-Arias|first=Luis G.|title=Biothics and the Environment|year=2008|publisher=Libros en Red|page=73|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YLjDG6sUaRkC&q=luis+g+jimenez+arias+biothics&pg=PA8|isbn=9781597543804}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Beware the Precautionary Principle|url=http://www.sirc.org/articles/beware.html|access-date=2021-03-16|website=www.sirc.org|archive-date=15 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315065004/http://sirc.org/articles/beware.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|text=The precautionary principle presents a serious hazard to our health which extends way beyond the generation of unnecessary neuroses. The biggest correlate of our health and well being is our standard of living, as measured in conventional economic and physical terms. People in technologically advanced societies suffer fewer diseases and live longer than those in less developed nations. The biggest killer in the world is not genetically modified soya, pesticide residues or even tobacco. It is something which is given the code Z59.5 in the International Classification of Disease Handbook and accounts for more deaths world-wide than any other single factor. It is defined as 'Extreme Poverty'.|source=Social Issues Research Centre}}