BIOSAFETY FIRST Holistic Approaches to Risk and Uncertainty in Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms Edited by Terje Traavik and Lim Li Ching Published by Third World Network and GenØk ISBN: 978-983-2729-98-3 Year: 2009  No. of pages: 616

ABOUT THE BOOK

The challenges for risk identification, assessment and management posed by genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms are some of the most demanding issues facing many countries and societies today. The evolving field of biosafety has developed in response to these challenges.

BIOSAFETY FIRST is a stimulating collection of the latest thinking concerning biosafety science. It is a unique work as its approach to biosafety is holistic, encompassing not only the scientific, but also the socio-economic, cultural, policy and regulatory spheres. It does not claim to give all the answers, but acknowledges the issues and points to the uncertainties and knowledge gaps that still need to be addressed. Drawing on the new scientific field of ‘gene ecology’, and advocating a precautionary approach, this book provides a foundation on which countries can start to openly and responsibly appraise these new technologies and their products.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

PROFESSOR TERJE TRAAVIK is the author of more than 180 scientific articles and book chapters. He was Professor of Virology at the University of Tromsø, Norway, 1983-2003. Originally a medical and molecular virologist, Traavik later crossed into molecular and cellular cancer research. In 1992 he received the Erna and Olav Aakre Foundation Prize for Excellent Cancer Research. In the early 1990s he was the Board Chairman of the national research programme Environmental Effects of Biotechnology, which was funded by the Research Council of Norway. In 1997, he initiated and became the Scientific Director of GenØk – The Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology, and since 2003 he has also been Professor of Gene Ecology at the University of Tromsø.

LIM LI CHING has a BSc in Ecology and an MPhil in Development Studies. She works with the biosafety programme at Third World Network, an international NGO based in Malaysia. She has been actively participating at the UN Biosafety Protocol negotiations, its related experts’ meetings and other international, regional and national biosafety meetings. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Oakland Institute, USA.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION BY THE EDITORS

PART ONE

Chapter 1 LIFE ON EARTH

Chapter 2 INTRODUCTION TO SOME BASIC FEATURES OF GENETIC INFORMATION: FROM DNA TO PROTEINS       

Chapter 3 THE COMPLEX AND INTERACTIVE PATHWAY FROM (TRANS) GENES TO PROTEINS  

Chapter 4 GENETIC ENGINEERING OF LIVING CELLS AND ORGANISMS          

Chapter 5 BASICS ON THE FIFTH NUCLEOTIDE IN DNA, 5-METHYLDEOXYCYTIDINE: A REGULATORY GENETIC SIGNAL     

Chapter 6 UNDERSTANDING THE UNCERTAINTIES ARISING FROM TECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS: THE CASE OF GMOS

Chapter 7 GE APPLICATIONS AND GMO RELEASE: THE ETHICAL CHALLENGES

PART TWO

Chapter 8 GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CELLS AND ORGANISMS: SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT OR DIFFERENT?

Chapter 9 GENETIC ENGINEERING AND OMITTED HEALTH RESEARCH: STILL NO ANSWERS TO AGEING QUESTIONS

Chapter 10 BIODIVERSITY, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

Chapter 11 INVASION OF EXOTIC SPECIES: LESSONS FOR GMOS?

Chapter 12 VERTICAL (TRANS) GENE FLOW: IMPLICATIONS FOR CROP DIVERSITY AND WILD RELATIVES

Chapter 13 UNINTENDED HORIZONTAL TRANSFER OF RECOMBINANT DNA

Chapter 14 POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS OF FOODS DERIVED FROM GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) PLANTS – WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

Chapter 15 DNAVACCINES: MECHANISMS ANDASPECTS OF RELEVANCE FOR BIOSAFETY

Chapter 16 MODELS OF SCIENCE AND POLICY

Chapter 17 THE ROLE OF PRECAUTIONARY MOTIVATED SCIENCE IN ADDRESSING SCIENTIFIC UNCERTAINTIES RELATED TO GMOS

Chapter 18 INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND MODERN SCIENCE AS WAYS OF KNOWING AND LIVING NATURE: THE CONTEXTS AND LIMITS OF BIOSAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT

Chapter 19 GENETIC ENGINEERING, BIOSAFETY AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Chapter 20 POTENTIAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND ETHICAL IMPACTS OF GMOS: PROSPECTS FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Chapter 21 PUTTING FARMERS FIRST IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRACTICES

PART THREE

Chapter 22 A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE REGULATION OF GMOS AND GENE TECHNOLOGY      

Chapter 23 DEFINITIONS OF GMO/LMO AND MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY       

Chapter 24 SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN REGULATIONS            

Chapter 25 THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY: HISTORY, CONTENT AND IMPLEMENTATION FROM A DEVELOPING COUNTRY PERSPECTIVE             

Chapter 26 CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY      

Chapter 27 THE WTO AGREEMENTS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE OBLIGATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIOSAFETY

Chapter 28 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SETTING ON BIOSAFETY: AN INTRODUCTION TO SOME OTHER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND FORUMS  

Chapter 29 THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE IN GMO REGULATIONS            

Chapter 30 THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE AND THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY: DEVELOPMENT OF A CONCEPT 

Chapter 31 LIABILITY AND REDRESS FOR DAMAGE ARISING FROM GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS: LAW AND POLICY OPTIONS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES     

Chapter 32 POST-COMMERCIALIZATION TESTING AND MONITORING (OR POST-RELEASE MONITORING) FOR THE EFFECTS OF TRANSGENIC PLANTS        

Chapter 33 MONITORING GMOS RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEM           

Chapter 34 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BIOSAFETY ISSUES       

Chapter 35 BIOSAFETY FORECAST SERVICE: THE PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH IN PRACTICAL BIOSAFETY     

AUTHOR INDEX

GLOSSARY

SUBJECT INDEX         

PRICE

US$55.00 for First World countries

US$35.00 for Third World countries

RM65.00 for Malaysia

Prices are inclusive of postage costs by airmail.

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