European Information Network - Ethics in Medicine and Biotechnology

Genetically modified Food

--- Overview United Kingdom ----

- Ethical discussion -

(Author: SIBLE staff, United Kingdom)

GM crops and their products have caused great debate with in the UK, Europe and world-wide. Agriculture must feed an ever increasing human population forecast to be 8 billion by the year 2020. There are already great pressures on land. The land needed to grow crops has led to increased deforestation; the quality of the land has decreased due to increased salinity and decreased fertility; there are environmental pressures such as water availability; and the increased use of herbicides and pesticides has lead to increased pollution. In addition there is an ever increasing demand for feed for livestock and the massive loss of crops due to pests and diseases, both pre and post harvest.

There are many factors to consider with respect to the use of GM crops. Perhaps the first consideration should be whether there is a need for GM crops at all. Many people argue that food distribution or increased expenditure in conventional agriculture will meet future needs. Others express the opinion that the use biotechnology is the only way to proceed. Issues surrounding the use of modern biotechnology include issues such as infrastructure and capacity, biosafety, food and environmental safety, biodiversity, intellectual property rights and setting priorities for biotechnological applications.

Below are several reports that have addressed many of these issues.

GM Nation

The Government have set up an independant steering board with a diverse range of backgrounds and philosophies. Six public meeting have been run country wide in order to obtain feedback on the public fears and concerns over GM crops and food. The steering board will be writing a report, due around September, which will (hopefully) feed back into Government policy over GM.

Royal Society

The Royal Society has produced several publications on GM plants and related issues. The most recent information is on the farm-scale evaluations (see also DEFRA) designed to study the effects on some species of wildlife of the weed-killers that are used on herbicide resistant GM maize, oilseed rape and beet. The Royal Society will be publishing papers on the topic later in 2003. The Royal Society has also produced (among others) three major reports on genetically modified plants.

Nuffield Council on Bioethics

The Nuffield Council is an independant body founded in 1991. The Council produce reports on a wide range of ethical issues which contribute to Government policy. The Council have produced several reports on GM plants and related issues.

- Legislation -

(Author: SIBLE staff, United Kingdom)

In the United Kingdom, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Food Standards Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the devolved administrations are responsible for implementing the EU Directive in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.

In England, Releases for research trials or marketing of genetically modified organisms are subject to Part VI of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2002. These regulations apply to experimental field trials and commercial agriculture. For 'contained use' – in laboratories and factories – the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2831) applies (amended in 2002).

An implementation strategy involving two public consultations were adopted. The first of these asked for public comments on general issues raised by the new Directive (and the results of this exercise were used to inform the drafting of implementing regulations). The second consultation asked the public for views on the regulations in draft. Practical guidance on the legislation controlling the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in England has also been produced.

The safety of food products derived from genetically modified organisms is evaluated under the 1997 EC Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients Regulation. The Department of Health is also involved where genetically modified organisms have medical applications. The UK Patent Office regulates the patenting process.

The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for compliance with regulations. However, consent to proceed is only granted once a full risk assessment has been carried out by The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). ACRE is the statutory body set up to advise Government on risks to the environment from the release of genetically modified organisms. ACRE give advice on the safety of research trials and marketing of genetically modified organisms, based on the UK Regulations. It carries out an assessment of each application and gives advice on any risks posed by the GMO. It also advises whether or not consent should be granted, and whether risk management after release should be a condition of consent.

Links

(Collected by: SIBLE staff, United Kingdom)

Ethics

• GM Nation
• Royal Society page on GM plants
• The GM Farm-Scale Evaluations (2003)
• Genetically modified plants for food use and human health - an update (February 2002)
• Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture (July 2000)
• Genetically Modified Plants for Food Use (September 1999)
• Nufflied Council on Bioethics
• Nufflied Council on Bioethics draft discussion paper: The use of genetically modified crops in developing countries (June 2003, inviting comments by August 2003)
• Nufflied Council on Bioethics Report: Genetically Modified Crops: the ethical and social issues: This report was published in 1999 and looked into issues such as the scientific background and techniques used in genetic modification, the potential of GM crops and the implications for the developing world.

Legislation

• The Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2002
• Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000
• Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Amendment Regulations 2002
• The Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part VI
• The European Communities Act 1972

Further

• Bioethics-Today: Agricultural Biotechnology page
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): GM page
• Food Standards Agency: FSA's GM Food Debate site
• Health and Safety Executive: HSE's Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification (ACGM)
• Wellcome Trust: Genetically Modified Organisms: UK regulation and advisory bodies
• Belgian Biosafety Server: UK regulation page
• OECD/UNIDO BIO-BIN: Regulatory Developments in Biotechnology in the United Kingdom