|
British companies
welcome government report on GM science
 |
| A step nearer
for GM technologies |
London,
23 July 2003 - ICC United Kingdom has welcomed this
week's UK government report which quells fears that GM technologies represent
a risk to human health and pose a threat to the environment.
Calling the government's
'GM Science Review' "a
reasoned appraisal of a highly impassioned issue", ICC UK officials
have hailed the report as an important step in furthering the development
of GM technologies.
The government report
concludes that the risk to human health from GM science is very low and
that GM crops, currently on the market, are very unlikely to prove invasive
in the countryside.
ICC United Kingdom
is the British National Committee of ICC - the Paris-based world business
organisation. Its members range from small companies to the largest multinationals,
their common bond being involvement in international business and a desire
to ensure the most efficient business environment for international business.
The ICC Commission on Biosociety was established in June 2002, by a group
of 40 companies and business organisations involved in agriculture, food
processing and pharmaceuticals.
Companies active on ICC UK's biosociety commission include: Monsanto,
GlaxoSmithKline, Shell, Ashurst Morris Crisp, Wragge & Co, Slaughter
& May, Hammonds, Pfizer, Unilever, and British American Tobacco.
ICC UK says the government
review is unique in that it was led by issues from the public and scientists
themselves. The panel, Chaired by the Chief Scientific Advisor to the
Government, Professor Sir David King, was made up of top experts with
a wide range of scientific, industrial and environmental expertise.
'The deliberations
by our panel of experts has produced the best scientific evaluation of
GM crops and their products thus far," Mr Dalton said.
The report was careful
to note that as in all fields, new developments will take place which
will further current knowledge. Meanwhile, there is a very high level
of confidence in human and environmental safety as GM technology is one
of the most stringently regulated, internationally.
A follow-up report
in the autumn, will consider comments from the public together with results
from the GM public debate.
The Panel will also
consider any further scientific developments including the re
sults of
the GM Farm Scale Evaluations, providing they are available.
A Government decision
on the possible commercialisation of GM crops in the UK will be taken
later this year. The other 2 strands of the UK GM Debate are: GMNation?
(Public Debate) and last Friday weeks' Economic
Review published by the Prime Ministers' Strategy Unit.
The ICC Biosociety
Commission's original and overarching objective was to elaborate global
business positions on a range of economic, social, regulatory, environmental
and trade issues critical to the integration in society of modern biotechnology
and the life sciences.
To this end, the Commission set out to explore and speak out on key areas
and applications where biotechnology products and services can, for example,
improve food security, hunger and health conditions.
ICC
Commission on Biosociety
|