Genetically Modified Organisms - Problems and Regulation

Summary

Genetically modified organisms are deřmed by law as entities capable of replication and/or transmission of hereditary materiál that had been altered by the insertion or removal of a DNA fragment. By the EU legal regulation as well as by the Czech law, such organisms are considered risky whereas other products of breeding, though obtained by, e.g., induced mutagenesis, are claimed as safe. Organisms transferred from other ecosystems are also considered safe. The Czech law on the use of genetically modified organisms is based on registers of users and organisms for specific use. Application for the registration that is valid as an approval should be submitted to the Ministry of Environment. The applicant is obliged to present the risk assessment of the particular use of genetically modi%ed organisms. Genetically modi%ed organisms are connected with certain risk to ecology, however health risky are brought about almost exclusively by microorganisms. Modi%ed organisms used for food production are thoroughly tested for substantial equivalency with standard crops and with respect to health parameters of the protein(s) netyly introduced due to genetic modification. Detail tests as well as their cost are Glose to the testing of new drugs. European as well as Czech rules for food labelling are motivated by the psychology of consumers rather than by health impact. They result to absurdities but do not meet the task of public psychology. This is why the EU authorities are looking for measures to change the present situation that other wise would bring Europe well behind the developed countries.

Key words:
genetically modi%ed organism, legal regulation, product of breeding, mutagenesis, risk to ecology, food, drugs, EU.