Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Science Branch
Office of Biotechnology

Concerns and Issues About Biotechnology

Concerns and Issues About Biotechnology

Agricultural crops are at constant risk from insects, disease, and other environmental stresses that cause losses in yields. Current research in biotechnology is addressing these issues. Areas of biotechnology such as genetic engineering could offer help to address concerns about pests and crop losses.

However, despite potential benefits, biotechnology has raised questions and concerns. Some people have expressed concerns about the safety of these new technologies, especially the possibility of genetically modified organisms adversely affecting plants and other organisms outside the lab. To deal with these concerns, scientists and government regulators have taken steps to carefully assess all new products of biotechnology. Before a product can be released into the environment or made commercially available, it must be evaluated for safety based on data collected from extensive testing.

Safeguards through Regulation

In January 1993, federal regulatory departments agreed on principles for a more efficient and effective regulatory framework for Canadian biotechnology. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency along with other federal departments, including Environment Canada, Health Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans, regulate products of biotechnology in order to protect human health, animal health, and the environment. Assessments are carried out to determine potential risks, if any, before products of biotechnology are tested in the environment or available for use.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency focusses its assessments on the characteristics of the final product. The philosophy of the regulatory framework is that genetically engineered organisms are not fundamentally different from traditionally derived organisms and can be assessed using well- defined and understood principles of risk assessment. Each new product is therefore evaluated on its own merits and characteristics, while at the same time the processes used to develop the organisms are carefully considered. Because of the precise nature of the new techniques of biotechnology, we may in fact have more knowledge about genetically engineered organisms than about those that occur naturally.