New gene-editing regulation bill in Parliament discussion – A bill is currently being reviewed in the House of Commons regarding gene-editing of plants and animals and products produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The bill is titled as the ‘Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill’.
The purpose of the new bill is to streamline the legislation which currently governs genetic technologies for plants and animals in the UK to make if faster and easier for GMO products to reach the UK market. The bill will classify technical aspects of gene-editing and genetic technologies, as well as the definition of ‘Precision Breeding’ and which techniques will fall under the governance of the bill.
Currently, GMO food and feed products are authorised under the retained EU regulation 1829/2003 on Genetically Modified Food and Feed. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is tasked with the enforcement of current legislation relating to the deliberate release and marketing of GMOs in England.
The new Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill will have to pass through the House of Lords and be given Royal Assent before it can come into effect as law. It will be interesting to see the response to the bill as it passes through parliament as GMO food and feed products are a controversial topic in society, often sensationalised by the media.
Currently in the UK, there are very few GMO products consumed by humans. Some fruits and vegetables imported from outside of the UK are genetically modified, such as papaya. Genetically modified crops, such as maize and soybean are used to feed livestock in the UK.
In other countries around the world, there have been successful examples of GMO food and feed product being of benefit to human populations. Golden rice is a GMO developed in the last 1990s which has been modified to produce relatively high levels of beta-carotene which is not normally present in rice species. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A by the human body when consumed. Golden rice is accepted as safe for consumption in various countries, such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
For more information, please refer to the links below:
Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill
https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3167
Golden Rice Project