 BIOSAFETY ISSUES :RELEASEOF GMO’S INTO THE

ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR IMPACT

 GEAC AND ITS OBJECTIVES
 CONCEPT OF ETHICAL LEGAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
(ELSI)
EX: IVF
 VARIOUS INSTITUTES ,CENTRES AND FUNDING
AGENCIES
 BIOTECHNOLOGY GLOBAL AND INDIAN SCENARIO
 Biosafety is the prevention of loss of biological
integrity ,focusing both on ecology and human health.

Biosafety –is the need to protect the environment

including human and animal health from the possible adverse
effects of genetically modified organisms and products there off
derived from the use of modern biotechnology
OR
Promoting safe laboratory practices ,procedures
,proper use of containment equipment and facilities, risk
assessment and risk management ,evaluation of GMO’S etc.
 Goverement of India had notified
“rules foe the manufacture /use /import/export and storage
of hazardous microorganisms,GMO’s or cells” under the provisions
of environment protection act 1986 through the ministry of
environment and forests (MOEF) –”Rules 1989.

 Rules 1989 implemented by MOEF and DBT, ministry of science

and technology
 1998 DBT guidelines for research on transgenic plants “these
guidelines provide the information on level of approvals for
conducting research in transgenic plants, category of experiments
and testing procedures for toxicity and allerginicity etc.
 In 1999 DBT brought guidelines for “generating preclinical and
clinical data for r DNA based vaccines ,diagnostics and other
biologicals”
 Release of GMO’S in the environment controversial
as it has far reaching consequences
 Living GEO’s proliferete,persists and disperse and
sometimes may transfer their DNA into other
organisms
 There is a possibility of GEO’s displacing the existing
organisms/or create new species. Leading to
environmental damage.
 GEAC (Genetic Energy Approval Committee)
is an Indian government organisation. Its
objective are to:-
(a) examine the validity of GM (Genetic
modification of organism) research.
(b) inspect the safety of introducing GM for
public services.

 Impact of new technology on individual and society is
a subject of enquiry to philosophers, sociologist and
ethicist and psychologist
 The use of public resources for the development of
biotechnology also raises objections from stakeholders
who believe that this technology will benefit society in
due course of time and those who do not believe in
this technology possess socioethics risks.
Examples:
 Use of GMO plants and animals and that are used
as biological control agents to the environment
could cause ecological imbalance that could be
disastrous for environment.
 Introduction of GMM for industrial purpose can lead to
generation of new infectious microbes.
 Development of herbicide resistance and enhanced
photosynthesis could lead to originate more tolerant weeds as
a result of cross pollination with related species .
 Cloning of animals and human is always debatable issue.
 IVF And other reproductive technologies may be harmful for
the individual autonomy ,equality, protection of vulnerable,
accountability, respect for human life and dignity ,non
commercialization of reproduction, appropriate use of
resources and balancing individual and collective interests…
 Stem cell technology used for embryonic stem cells is suppose
to fight against nature and killing yet to be born child
This is considered as illegal in many
 NBTB- National Biotechnology Board
 CCMB- Center For Cellular And Molecular
Biology
 ICGEB- International Centre For Genetic
Engineering And Biotechnology
 ICMR- Indian Council For Medical Research
 ICAR- Indian Council For Agricultural
Research
 DBT-Department Of Biotechnology
 DST-Department Of Science And Technology