International Standards on the regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms

Introduction

Genetically modified organism (GMO) is a general term for any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering (GE) techniques. This includes but is not limited to: Bacteria modified to synthesise proteins, crops modified to increase yields, transgenic organisms that contain the genes of an unrelated animal, organisms modified for use in scientific research and viruses modified to be vectors for genetic information.

Current Situation

Previous international initiatives related to GMOs include:

The Cartagena Protocol (2003) “provides an international regulatory framework to reconcile the respective needs of trade and environmental protection”. The Protocol aims:

“to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements.”

166 Parties are currently signed on to the Cartagena Protocol but this does not include the USA.

The UN General Assembly adopted United Nations declaration on human cloning in 2005, a non-binding statement against all forms of human cloning.

The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology was promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to support research and training in genetic engineering and biotechnology in developing countries.

Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol entered into effect in 2018.

The Protocol aims to “contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, by providing international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress relating to living modified organisms.”

The Protocol further states that whether an adverse effect is significant is determined based on a number of factors, including whether it causes long-term or permanent change, the extent of the qualitative or quantitative change that results, whether it reduces the way in which natural diversity provides goods and services, and the scope of any adverse impact on human health.

The UN has no office on the issue of GMOs, the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development. The UNCSTD aims to:

1. Examine science and technology questions and their implications for development. 2. Advance understanding on science and technology policies, particularly in respect of

developing countries. 3. Formulate recommendations and guidelines on science and technology matters within the

United Nations system.

Countries with Particular Interests

Most states have little or no laws regulating GMOs, those with more strict regulations include: Russia, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan, France, Germany, Algeria, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Peru, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

Issues

Key areas of GMO technology requiring regulation:

1. Genetically modified crops and livestock for human consumption. a. The labelling of such GMOs to the consumer. b. Assessment of effects on organisms dependent on crop/livestock c. Availability of agriculturally beneficial GMOs for low-income nations.

2. Legal rights of genetically engineered organisms. a. Creation of chimeric, intelligent or suffering animal life. b. GMOs for use in other fields of scientific research.

3. Access to and government oversight of GE technology. a. Legality of independent practise of GE.

4. Genetic modifications of humans or intelligent animals. a. GMOs that carry risk to humans or intelligent animals such as viruses. b. Partially human transgenic organisms. c. Designer babies (Including editing out diseases).

5. Isolation of GMOs from wider ecosystem. 6. Monitoring of GMOs once proliferated. 7. Funding, transparency and regulation of research into GMOs.

a. Military, Governmental, Privatised, availability of research to public. Principle issues for implementation of regulations on GMOs

1. Corporations and lobbyists with both money and financial incentives for low regulation. 2. Nations investing in GMO research would benefit more from limited oversight. 3. Poor nations could prevent famine by exploiting GMO technology, regulations risk this.

Suggested Reading

https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/gm-plants/what-is-gm-and-how-is-it-done/

https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-genetic-engineering

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/jul/16/ngos-nonprofits-gmos-genetically-modified-foods-biotech

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/

https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732