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Risk is attached to any human activity. There
is no zero risk in biotechnology neither of any new crop. As zero
risk does not exist only relative risk can be estimated. This is
possible only by comparing data of at least two comparable situations
with and without the object under study...
Any new crop introduced in the environment represents
certain risk. The task of science consists in assessing the risk
of a new crop before it is introduced in the praxis. Long term observations
then tune the assessment. In order to compare new crops from the
point of risk they bring to the environment and to human and animal
health identical testing is indispensable...
High production of the first-rate food depends
largely on efficient cultivars that have traditionally been obtained
by random mutations folowed by hybridization of selected plants.
This approach builds on the limited endogenous genetic resources
of each species. Modern science developed sofisticated genetic modifications
(GM) by which the innate resources can be enriched by genes taken
from other organisms. Transferred genes confer a new useful trait,
for example resistance to insect pests.
Show back-issues
Scientific
approach to biotechnology regulationJaroslav Drobník (1) and Helena Štěpánková (2)
(1) Dep. of Genetics and Microbiology, Fac. of Science, Charles University, Prague
(2) Association BIOTRIN, Prague, Czech Republic
OPEN
LETTER TOTHE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY PUBLIC RESEARCH & REGULATION INITATIVE ASSOCIATION FRANÇAISE POUR L'INFORMATION SCIENTIFIQUE (AFIS)
Dear colleagues, Dear friends.
I appreciate very much the steps you are taking to push the
EU politics in biotechnology near to rational basis. However,
I am convinced that it is our duty to use any opportunity to
stress the fact that this politics, this regulation, is basically
in contradiction to science with no regard how the attributes
are improved in details.
Last century brought several biotechnology
methods in breeding and plant and animal propagation. This contribution
is focused on plant breeding, which was up to the seventies
based on random occurrence of new traits. Recombinant DNA technique
provided an opportunity to introduce desired new traits selectively
and rationally by transgenesis. This breeding technology when
used properly brings benefit to farmers, consumers and environment...
by Jaroslav Drobnik on BIOTECHNOLOGIE 2008, February 14, České
Budějovice
CO-EXISTENCE
MORE POLITICS THAN SCIENCELet the science-based debate among stakeholders
start soon before Europe becomes an outdoor museum of last-century
agriculture
by Jaroslav Drobnik on workshop TRANSCONTAINER - Plovdiv, May
2008
PowerPoint presentation
