|
At its inaugural meeting in October 1999, the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee (CBAC) identified the robustness of Canada's systems for assessing and regulating the application of biotechnology innovations as a topic requiring study and evaluation. CBAC identified three sub-topics for
special consideration: the science base underpinning the regulatory system, the governance and
organization of regulatory processes and the social, ethical, legal, economic and environmental aspects of food biotechnology.
In December of 1999, following consultations with CBAC, the Minister's of Health, Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Environment announced their intention to establish an Expert Scientific Panel on the Future of Food Biotechnology. Its mandate was to provide Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency and Environment Canada with advice on Canada's regulatory system and the scientific
capability that the federal government required into the 21st century to ensure the safety of new food products being developed through biotechnology.
Given the proposed establishment of an Expert Scientific Panel, CBAC concentrated its own efforts on the governance and organization of regulatory processes and on the social, ethical, legal, economic and environmental aspects of food biotechnology.
Back to Top
The report released in August of 2002 represents the views of the committee on improving the regulation of genetically modified foods and other novel foods after having taken into account the results of commissioned policy research studies, sector roundtables, review
of public opinion research, multi-stakeholder consultations, the work of the Expert Scientific Panel
of the Royal Society, and responses to the Interim Report of August 2001.
The report groups the Committee's findings and recommendations (eight) into four major themes:
Good governance is the creation of a regulatory system that will manage the principles, policies, and usage of GM foods in order to protect the health and safety of citizens and the environment as well as finding optimal ways to maintain such a regulatory system. Good governance
also involves ensuring that the public engages in the development of policies and regulations of these
foods. The Committee's recommendations associated with this theme include:
- structure, organization, and operation of the federal food regulatory system; and
- transparency and public involvement.
Underlying these concerns is an expressed lack of public confidence
in the regulatory capacity of governments to deal effectively with
this new technology. Some have expressed concern that regulatory
capacity may be compromised in countries where governments also
promote GM foods and crops as part of their economic growth agenda.
Precaution is ensuring that a precautionary approach at all stages of the development and commercialization of GM foods is upheld so that health and environmental risks are continuously and vigorously assessed. The Committee's recommendations associated with this theme include:
- evaluation and monitoring of long-term health impacts; and
- environmental stewardship.
Information and consumer choice involves the dissemination of accurate and up-to-date information on all aspects of GM foods, including its production. Recommendations associated with this theme include:
- improved information to support consumer choice; and
- labelling.
Social and ethical consideration is the basic principle of doing or producing good things as well as respecting cultural diversity, traditional knowledge, and religious convictions. Recommendations associated with this theme include:
- other social and ethical considerations related to GM foods and feed.
Back to Top
Genetically modified foods and feed will continue to evolve and take on new dimensions in the decades to come. The Committee's recommendations are designed to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of GM foods and feed. The recommendations do not represent the end of our work in this
important area, however. Now that the final report is published, our objectives include the following:
-
Meeting with interested parties, both inside and outside government, to discuss and explain our recommendations
-
Cooperating with federal agencies on their work programs to address our recommendations
-
Undertaking a watching brief on national and international matters pertaining to the regulation of GM foods and feed
-
Monitoring public opinion
-
Continuing to sponsor research and background studies on specific topics pertaining to GM foods and feed
- Reporting on progress in the implementation of our recommendations
- Closely monitoring developments in the labelling of GM foods and feed
|
Home
