This work investigates the ethical, social, and safety implications of recombinant DNA technology as it transitioned from laboratory research to industrial application. Cavalieri, a molecular biologist, utilizes his professional background to critique the rapid commercialization of genetic engineering. He argues that the lack of adequate regulatory oversight and the influence of corporate interests pose significant risks to public health and environmental stability.

Experts recognize this text as a significant early contribution to the field of bioethics and the sociology of science. Readers frequently note the author's critical stance toward the institutional pressures that shaped the early biotechnology industry.