New gene-editing techniques: risks of unintended changes could be ‘overlooked’

Testbiotech, a non-profit organization that provides information and scientific expertise on the risks associated with genetic engineering, has criticized an EU Commission services discussion paper intended to identify criteria for deregulating some genetically engineered plants.      

It is necessary to highlight that the document, which has been recently leaked to the public, has not been adopted or endorsed by the European Commission and it contains preliminary views which should not be regarded as stating an official position of the Commission.        

The draft compares genetic changes caused by new gene-editing techniques (NGTs), e.g. CRISPR/Cas applications, to those originated from conventional breeding methods and random mutagenesis. It assumes that intentional changes from these new techniques may differ from conventional breeding, but states that this would not be the case with unintended genetic alterations.        

However, Testbiotech argues that both intended and unintended changes from NGTs stem from the same underlying mechanisms and processes. It highlights that several studies had shown that the use of NGTs can produce unintended genetic changes that are unlikely to occur with conventional breeding or random mutagenesis, regardless of whether these were intended or not.      

Testbiotech stresses the fact that these changes could have negative impacts on health and the environment beyond what is known from conventional breeding, consequently, it emphasizes the importance of NGTs risk assessment. The organization believes that all plants derived from new genetic engineering techniques should undergo mandatory risk assessment to determine which changes they induce and whether those changes could be harmful. The organization warns that if hazardous unintended genetic changes are overlooked, they could quickly spread within breeding populations and pose a risk to the future of plant and animal breeding, and ultimately food security.        

Testbiotech has written to the EU Commission outlining these concerns.                

 

Source:    

https://www.testbiotech.org/en/news/new-ge-risks-unintended-genetic-changes-are-overlooked