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You are in New Genetic Engineering Techniques

New Genetic Engineering Techniques

New developments in genetic engineering raise questions about which crops, trees and animals will be treated as genetically modified (GM) for the purposes of regulation.

Industry and investors are seeking to exempt all new genetic engineering techniques (often referred to as "gene editing") from regulation, but civil society groups have major concerns about this. Techniques which are exempt from regulation will not require risk assessments to predict the consequences for the environment, animal welfare, or human health, and such products would be unlabelled.

"Gene editing" and other new genetic engineering techniques could be used in the future for open releases into the environment of crops, trees, farm animals, fish or insects.

The UK Government has proposed deregulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in England that are produced using gene editing techniques. They have launched a consultation here (deadline 17th March 2021).

Gene editing can also be used to construct 'gene drives', which aim to spread genetically modified genes across wild populations faster than the normal ruls of inheritance allow (see also GM insects). Find out about the scientific, ethical, socio-economic and regulatory aspects of gene drives here.

Resources

• Consultation responses
  • GeneWatch UK: The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill: Briefing for Committee Stage 28th June 2022
  • GeneWatch UK letter to the Food Standards Agency: The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill 31st May 2022
  • GeneWatch UK's response to Defra's consultation on deregulation of gene edited organisms 20th January 2021
  • GeneWatch UK response to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics' Call for Evidence on Genome Editing and Farmed Animals (11th September 2019) 10th September 2019
• GeneWatch briefings
  • GeneWatch UK Briefing Update: On-target effects of genome editing techniques 2nd February 2023
  • GeneWatch UK Briefing: On-target effects of genome editing techniques 14th September 2021
  • TWN and GeneWatch UK: Why genome edited organisms are not excluded from the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (December 2020) 11th December 2020
  • Joint Open letter to IUCN on report and policy on genetically engineering the environment 15th July 2019
  • Letter from GeneWatch UK and GM Freeze to the Environment Secretary 24th July 2018
  • Joint Media Briefing: Commission fails to regulate new GMOs after intense US lobbying 20th April 2016
  • Joint Position: New techniques of genetic engineering (March 2016)

  • Open Letter: Gene-editing of plants and animals and regulation in the EU (5th January 2016) 5th January 2016
  • Open letter to the Commission on new genetic engineering methods (27th January 2015) 27th January 2015
• Press articles
  • The Guardian: UK moves closer to allowing gene editing of crops by allowing more research (20th January 2022)

  • EU Observer: Commission under fire for new 'deregulatory' approach to GMOs (30th April 2021)

  • Euractiv: Commission reopens gene editing's box amid sustainability claims (29th April 2021)

  • EurActiv: Further guidance required for assessment of gene drive technology, says EFSA (16th November 2020)

  • The Grocer: Has the debate on gene editing missed the question? (23rd September 2020)

  • Feed Navigator: Non-GMO advocates hail 'first open source detection test' for a gene-edited GM crop (8th September 2020)

  • The Herald: Joanna Blythman: If gene editing to 'improve' food sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is (22nd August 2020)

  • Science Daily: The EU not ready for the release of Gene drive organisms into the environment (7th May 2020)

  • Biotech Salon: In Light of Big Mistakes Made by Developers of "Poster Child" GMO Products like Hornless Cattle and Golden Rice, FDA is Justified in Requiring Regulation (17th February 2020)

  • Euractiv: 'New GMOs': Kyriakides gets off on wrong foot with biased consultation (5th February 2020)

  • The Scotsman: Dolly the Sheep scientists hope DNA editing can wipe out grey squirrels

  • EurActiv: EU study to clarify gene editing court ruling further muddies waters (5th December 2019)

  • Bloomberg: China and the U.S. are racing to create a 'super pig' (3rd December 2019)

  • Green European Journal: Reopening GMO Rules Would Be a Dangerous Waste of Time and Money (25th November 2019)

  • Salon: Netflix's "Unnatural Selection" ducks the big questions about gene editing (10th November 2019)

  • Japan Times: Despite consumer concerns, GMOs with genes removed expected to go on sale in Japan later this year (7th October 2019)

  • Science News: Gene editing can make fruit flies into 'monarch flies' (2nd October 2019)

  • Science Daily: CRISPRed fruit flies mimic monarch butterfly, and could make you vomit (2nd October 2019)

  • The Mainichi: Editorial: Gov't should give consumers choice on genome-edited foods (23rd September 2019)

  • Independent Science News: Gene-Editing Unintentionally Adds Bovine DNA, Goat DNA, and Bacterial DNA, Mouse Researchers Find (23rd September 2019)

  • The Examiner: Tasmania to change GMO regulations to protect brand status (3rd September 2019)

  • Wired: Brazil's Plans for Gene-Edited Cows Got Scrapped - Here's Why (26th August 2019)

  • StatNews: Gene editing to stop Lyme disease: caution is warranted (22nd August 2019)

  • World Grain: Groups say USDA biotech draft rule is flawed (7th August 2019)

  • EurActiv: Organic farmers oppose separate framework for new plant breeding techniques (30th July 2019)

  • Science: To feed its 1.4 billion, China bets big on genome editing of crops (29th July 2019)

  • EurActiv: Give the people what they want: Non-GMO sells (22nd July 2019)

  • EnviroNews Nigeria: Campaigners label IUCN's genetic engineering report 'one-sided' (17th July 2019)

  • EurActiv: The EU must not de-regulate gene-edited crops and foods (9th July 2019)

  • Phys.org: New study on gene editing in wildlife finds people are wary (26th June 2019)

  • The Guardian: Candidate to run global food body will 'not defend' EU stance on GM (2nd June 2019)

  • Quartz: The perils and promises of redesigning animals to meet our needs (2nd May 2019)

  • ABC: CRISPR editing of plants and animals gets green light in Australia. Now what? (30th April 2019)

  • Times of India: Gene-editing tech may help propogate mutated viruses: Study (28th April 2019)

  • Phys.org: Gene-editing technology to create virus-resistant cassava plant has opposite effect, researchers find (27th April 2019)

  • TPR: Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab (20th February 2019)

  • The Guardian: Scientists rewrite mice DNA so genes can be spread through species (23rd January 2019)

  • The Wall Street Journal: Big Tongues and Extra Vertebrae: The Unintended Consequences of Animal Gene Editing (14th December 2018)

  • FruitNet: Gene editing "no silver bullet" after Gove speech (3rd December 2018)

  • Defense One: The US Military Is Genetically Engineering New Life Forms To Detect Enemy Subs (1st Decmber 2018)

  • The Washington Post: 'Gene drive' research to fight diseases can proceed cautiously, U.N. group decides (30th November 2018)

  • The Sydney Morning Herald: Genetically modified plants escape regulation under new proposals (23rd October 2018)

  • FruitNet: Soil Association hits back at Eustice over gene editing (5th October 2018)

  • Food Navigator: 'We take a science-based approach to GM regulation': UK to consider relaxing gene editing ban post Brexit (14th September 2018)

  • EuroNews: Bayer, BASF to pursue plant gene editing elsewhere after EU ruling (27th July 2018)

  • Reuters: EU top court says mutagenesis falls under EU GMO rules (26th July 2018)

  • FruitNet: ECJ stands firm on gene editing (25th July 2018)

  • BBC: Gene editing is GM, says European Court (25th July 2018)

  • Nature: CRISPR plants now subject to tough GM laws in Europe (25th July 2018)

  • Chemistry World: What the ECJ ruling means for gene editing (25th July 2018)

  • EurActiv: Industry shocked by EU Court decision to put gene editing technique under GM law (25th July 2018)

  • The Guardian: Gene-edited plants and animals are GM foods, EU court rules (25th July 2018)

  • The Parliament Magazine: ECJ rules that 'new breeding techniques' are GMOs (25th July 2018)

  • Feed Navigator: EU court says crops obtained by mutagenesis are GMOs (25th July 2018)

  • Nature: Controversial CRISPR 'gene drives' tested in mammals for the first time (6th July 2018)

  • NPR: Report For Defense Department Ranks Top Threats From 'Synthetic Biology' (19th June 2018)

  • The Harvard Gazette: Pig organs for human patients: A challenge fit for CRISPR (30th May 2018)

  • The Australian: CSIRO investigates gene war strategy to rub out feral cats (26th May 2018)

  • The Telegraph: Gene-edited super-crops to be grown in UK for the first time (22nd May 2018)

  • Phys.org: Where GM meets GE (18th May 2018)

  • EurActiv: The EU needs to speak up to avoid 'backdoor' GMOs on our plates (16th May 2018)

  • EurActiv: EU seeds industry: No sense to label products from new breeding techniques (14th May 2018)

  • Science: U.S. agencies clash over who should regulate genetically engineered livestock (19th April 2018)

  • Science: U.S. agencies clash over who should regulate genetically engineered livestock (19th April 2018)

  • The Wall Street Journal: Is This Tomato Engineered? Inside the Coming Battle Over Gene-Edited Food (15th April 2018)

  • Bloomberg: BASF to Crank Up R&D 'Two Gears' With Bayer Seeds, Next CEO Says (12th April 2018)

  • FastCompany: CRISPR-altered plants are not going to be regulated (for now) (30th March 2018)

  • MIT Technology Review: Farmland gene editors want cows without horns, pigs without tails, and business without regulations (12th March 2018)

  • Sydney Morning Herald: Could WA be the genetic testing ground for 'synthetic mice' to end mice? (24th February 2018)

  • Wired: Process of Elimination (28th February 2018)

  • iam: DowDuPont revealed as the surprise leader in global CRISPR patents; study points to potential trouble ahead (13th February 2018)

  • Gizmodo: Why CRISPR-Edited Food May Be in Supermarkets Sooner Than You Think (16th January 2018)

  • Reuters: French seed group says GMO protests could force R&D relocation (16th January 2018)

  • Farmers Guardian: Michael Gove's embrace of gene editing prompts 'Frankencow' backlash (10th January 2018)

  • Daily Mail: Gove says 'Frankencows' made using genetic modification could be allowed after Brexit to help farmers produce 'more valuable' animals (4th January 2018)

  • The Telegraph: Genetically-modified animals could be sold in UK after Brexit, says Michael Gove (4th January 2018)

  • MIT Technology Review: These Are Not Your Father's GMOs (19th December 2017)

  • The Western Producer: Playing God: are we prepared to use gene drive technology? (14th December 2017)

  • Technology Review: Farmers Seek to Deploy Powerful Gene Drive (12th December 2017)

  • AFP: Genetic tool that can doom a species under UN review (5th December 2017)

  • NZ Herald: Conservation minister opposes GM-rodent plan (5th December 2017)

  • Independent Science News: Gates Foundation Hired PR Firm to Manipulate UN Over Gene Drives (4th December 2017)

  • The Guardian: US military agency invests USD100m in genetic extinction technologies (4th December 2017)

  • NZ Herald: The Big Read: What happened when one expert killer was visited by the US military's science agency (4th December 2017)

  • Quanta: New Model Warns About CRISPR Gene Drives in the Wild (16th November 2017)

  • New York Times: 'Gene Drives' Are Too Risky for Field Trials, Scientists Say (16th November 2017)

  • Stuff: Gene editing not a panacea for eradicating wild pests (15th November 2017)

  • Quartz: Chinese scientists stuck a mouse gene into pigs to make 12 low-fat piglets (23rd October 2017)

  • The Scientist: Gene Drive Limitations (9th October 2017)

  • C&EN: Activists warn of algae escape (2nd October 2017)

  • Transform Magazine: Should genetic engineering be used as a tool for conservation? (29th September 2017)

  • Euractiv: Amsterdam wants to revive talks on new plant breeding techniques (11th September 2017)

  • STAT: U.S. scientists edit genome of human embryo, but cast doubt on possibility of 'designer babies' (2nd August 2017)

  • Telegraph: Questor: Animal geneticist's risks 
too great to be a cash cow (29th July 2017)

  • Gizmodo: Genetically Engineering Nature Will Be Way More Complicated Than We Thought (21st July 2017)

  • YaleEnvironment360: Should Genetic Engineering Be Used as a Tool for Conservation? (20th July 2017)

  • Science: How will we keep controversial gene drive technology in check? (19th July 2017)

  • Fox Business: Monsanto Bets on Next Phase of High-Tech Crops, but It's Not Alone (7th May 2017)

  • The Conversation: Gene drives may cause a revolution, but safeguards and public engagement are needed (5th May 2017)

  • Cosmos: Benefits and dangers in altering our evolutionary trajectory (2nd May 2017)

  • ABC: Scientists calling for national discussion on gene-editing technology (2nd May 2017)

  • Slate: The U.S. Regulations for Biotechnology Are Woefully Out of Date (21st April 2017)

  • Backchannel: Inside the Glowing-Plant Startup That Just Gave up Its Quest (19th April 2017)

  • Civil Eats: Monsanto's Driverless Car: Is CRISPR Gene Editing Driving Seed Consolidation? (10th April 2017)

  • The Ecologist: 'New Breeding Techniques' and synthetic biology - genetic engineering by another name (4th April 2017)

  • The Western Producer: Speak out to avoid GM mistakes, urges Bayer (16th March 2017)

  • New Scientist: Backyard gene editing risks creating a monster (15th March 2017)

  • MIT Technology Review: First Gene Drive in Mammals Could Aid Vast New Zealand Eradication Plan (10th February 2017)

  • Science: Proposed U.S. biotech rules raise industry hopes and anxieties (27th January 2017)

  • Nature: Gene-edited animals face US regulatory crackdown (19th January 2017)

  • New York Times: These Foods Aren't Genetically Modified but They Are 'Edited' (9th January 2017)

  • New York Times: National Biotechnology Panel Faces New Conflict of Interest Questions (27th December 2016)

  • New York Times: Clean Tech Rises Again, Retooling Nature for Industrial Use (27th December 2016)

  • Nature: 'Gene drive' moratorium shot down at UN biodiversity meeting (21st December 2016)

  • Reuters: Strict approvals needed for gene-edited crops: German minister (22nd November 2016)

  • Feed Navigator: France asks ECJ to decide if plants from new breeding techniques are GMOs (14th October 2016)

  • Genes to Genomes: Can gene drives survive in the wild? (27th September 2016)

  • The Epoch Times: New Technology Spurs Consolidation in Seed Industry (27th September 2016)

  • STAT: Monsanto licenses CRISPR technology to modify crops - with key restrictions (22nd September 2016)

  • The National Law Review: GMO Food Labeling And CRISPR-modified Foods (22nd September 2016)

  • Scientific American: Harnessing the Power of Gene Drives to Save Wildlife (14th September 2016)

  • Digital Journal: Controversial DNA research sparks ethical debate (6th September 2016)

  • Fusion: How genetically engineered, Lyme-fighting mice could be the future of public health (17th August 2016)

  • The San Diego Union Tribune: A path forward for gene drive technologies (6th August 2016)

  • Cape Cod Times: Genetically modified mice seen as possible weapon in Lyme disease fight (24th July 2016)

  • STAT: Do CRISPR enthusiasts have their head in the sand about the safety of gene editing? (18th July 2016)

  • Undark: The Tricky Business of Regulating Biology (30th June 2016)

  • The Guardian: It's time society discussed the ethical issues raised by the gene revolution (12th June 2016)

  • The Guardian: The National Academies' Gene Drive study has ignored important and obvious issues (9th June 2016)

  • STAT: 'Gene drive' organisms should be tested in field trials, not widely released, experts say (8th June 2016)

  • Science: U.S. academies give cautious go-ahead to gene drive (8th June 2016)

  • MIT Technology Review: Gene Drives That Tinker With Evolution are an Unknown Risk, Researchers Say (8th June 2016)

  • New York Times: Panel Endorses 'Gene Drive' Technology That Can Alter Entire Species (8th June 2016)

  • The Washington Post: National Academies: Too soon to release 'gene-drive' organisms into nature (8th June 2016)

  • Nature: Gene editing can drive science to openness (8th June 2016)

  • Nature: Fast-spreading genetic mutations pose ecological risk (8th June 2016)

  • Reuters: From hardy pigs to super-crops, gene editing poses new EU dilemma (26th May 2016)

  • BuzzFeed: Europe Is Rethinking The Meaning Of A GMO (8th May 2016)

  • The Observer: US moves to sell gene-edited mushrooms fuel doubts over British ban on GM imports (24th April 2016)

  • Euractiv: Fresh EU-US trade spat brewing over new plant breeding techniques (22nd April 2016)

  • The Ecologist: New GMOs are 'not GM' - EU folds under US pressure (21st April 2016)

  • TeleSUR: US Gov't Pressured EU Officials to Disregard GMO Laws (21st April 2016)

  • Farm Futures: DuPont Pioneer uses CRISPR-Cas enabled breeding to advance waxy corn (19th April 2016)

  • EurActiv: Decision on new plant breeding techniques further delayed (31st March 2016)

  • Co.Exist: The gene-editing tool could create drought-resistant grain or allergy-free peanuts. Will a society on edge about genetically modified food embrace this newest innovation? (15th March 2016)

  • Nature: Welcome to the CRISPR zoo (9th March 2016)

  • Ethical Consumer: New genetic engineering techniques could slip through the regulatory safety net (22nd February 2016)

  • San Diego Business Journal: Co.'s Crops Find A Middle Ground (18th February 2016)

  • GEN: Backseat Gene Drivers Wanted (23rd November 2015)

  • New Zealand Herald: Simon Terry: GM guardian's error a grave failing (6th June 2014)

  • New Zealand Herald: GM guardian's error a grave failing (6th June 2014)

• External links
  • The Greens: SCIENTIFIC CRITIQUE OF LEOPOLDINA AND EASAC STATEMENTS ON GENOME EDITED PLANTS IN THE EU (April 2021)

  • EC study on new genomic techniques (29th April 2021)

  • Gene Tip: Gene Drives at Tipping Points - Precautionary Technology Assessment and Governance of New Approaches to Genetically Modified Animal and Plant Populations (April 2020)

  • GMWatch: Science supports need to subject gene-edited plants to strict safety assessments (20th November 2019)

  • TWN: Key elements in a legal and regulatory framework for gene drive organisms (October 2019)

  • TWN: Gene drives: A summary of legal and regulatory issues (Oct 2019)

  • US RTK: Gene Editing Mishaps Highlight Need for FDA Oversight (17th October 2019)

  • CSS, VDR, ENSSER: Gene Drives

  • MaxPlanckSociety: The Insect Allies program - genetically modified viruses in agriculture (20th September 2019)

  • Friends of the Earth: Gene-edited animals will intensify factory farming and the climate crisis, could harm human health (17th September 2019)

  • Corporate Europe Observatory: US pressure on EU to de-regulate new GM (24th July 2019)

  • STEPS Centre: Choreographed Consensus: The stifling of dissent at CRISPRcon 2019 (28th June 2019)

  • GMWatch: Coming to your dinner plate soon? (17th June 2019)

  • Friends of the Earth: Gene-edited organisms in agriculture: Risks and unexpected consequences (September 2018)

  • IATP: Regulate new GE techniques? U.S. (never) vs. EU (yes) (8th August 2018)

  • ECJ: Organisms obtained by mutagenesis are GMOs and are, in principle, subject to the obligations laid down by the GMO Directive (25th July 2018)

  • Report of the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology (ECNH): Precaution in the environmental field: Ethical requirements for the regulation of new biotechnologies (May 2018)

  • Keine neue Gentechnik durch die Hintertuere!

  • Court of Justice of the European Union PR: According to Advocate General Bobek, organisms obtained by mutagenesis are, in principle, exempted from the obligations in the Genetically Modified Organisms Directive (18th January 2018)

  • ECJ: OPINION OF ADVOCATE GENERAL BOBEK: Case C‑528/16 (18th January 2018)

  • IFOAM: Position Paper: Compatibility of Breeding Techniques in Organic Systems (January 2017)

  • IFOAM: The organic food and farming movement calls for the regulation of new genetic engineering techniques as GMOs (15th January 2018)

  • Gene Drive Files

  • Friends of the Earth Australia: Emerging Tech Project (Video) (November 2017)

  • BfR: Risikowahrnehmung von Genome Editing: Vorbehalte und großes Informationsbedürfnis vorhanden (24th October 2017)

  • TACD: Reporting back on the 'Modern Biotechnology in Agriculture' conference (11th October 2017)

  • Steinbrecher & Paul (2017) New Genetic Engineering Techniques: Precaution, Risk, and the Need to Develop Prior Societal Technology Assessment

  • African Centre for Biodiversity: DECEPTION OR DISHONESTY? A critical review of the Academy of Science in South Africa’s (ASSAf’s) report on second generation GMOs (22nd June 2017)

  • The Greens: New GMOs (15th June 2017)

  • Australian Academy of Sciences: SYNTHETIC GENE DRIVES IN AUSTRALIA: IMPLICATIONS OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (May 2017)

  • ETC Group: 160 Global Groups Call for Moratorium on New Genetic Extinction Technology at UN Convention (5th December 2016)

  • Friends of the Earth: Organic standards will exclude next generation of GMOs (21st November 2016)

  • VLOG: VLOG fordert strikte Regeln fuer neue Gentechnikverfahren (9th November 2016)

  • L'inf'OGM: Genetically modifying a plant is far from harmless (30th September 2016)

  • L'inf'OGM: Genetically modifying a plant is far from being harmless (follow-up) (30th September 2016)

  • Nuffield Council on Bioethics: Genome editing: an ethical review (30th September 2016)

  • Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue PR: New policy resolution on consumer concerns about new genetic engineering techniques (7th September 2016)

  • Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue: Resolution on consumer concerns about new genetic engineering techniques (7th September 2016)

  • Friends of the Eearth: Permanently changing a species: What could go wrong? (8th June 2016)

  • UCCSNAL: Open letter fron the Union of Concerned Scientists on New Technologies (10th May 2016)

  • IATP: U.S. tries to export its biotech deregulatory regime (2nd May 2016)

  • Heinemann (2016): Expert scientific opinion on the status of certain new techniques of genetic modification under Directive 2001/18/EC

  • Independent Science News: God's Red Pencil? CRISPR and The Three Myths of Precise Genome Editing (25th April 2016)

  • TestBiotech: Seed giants active around new methods of genetic engineering (2nd March 2016)

  • Risk Bites: Can we eliminate diseases like Zika, dengue and malaria using gene drives? (30th November 2015)

  • Greenpeace: Application of the EU and Cartagena definitions of a GMO to the classification of plants developed by cisgenesis and gene-editing techniques (November 2015)

  • Corporate Europe Observatory: TTIP: released emails show biotech, seeds on the trade talks table (2nd July 2015)

  • InfOGM: EU - According to a lobby group : new plant breeding techniques do not give rise to GMOs (29th September 2014)

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Resources

• Consultation responses
• GeneWatch briefings
• Press articles
• External links

Topics

• Press releases
• Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act

  Act adopted in 2023 to deregulate some GMOs developed using gene editing techniques in England.