Research and development in biotechnology has been envisaged to bring sustainable development. It s defined as increasing the standard of living without depleting the natural resource and degrading the environment. Several regulations and guidelines are in force for achieving a sustainable development.
Concerns about the release of genetically engineered organisms to the environment and consumption of genetically modified food have been voiced.
The safety of modern biotechnology has been debated ever since’ the first recombinant DNA molecule was constructed in 1980. The statement that “we are playing God” has been hotly deliberated and risk involved in the construction of recombinant DNA and its off-shoots for substantial benefits is assessed from time to time.
Several regulations have been formulated and agencies have come up for enforcing these regulations. The National Institute of Health (NIH), USA is the front runner in this respect and has played a pivotal role in formulating and enforcing these regulations.
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Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) within the NIH examines the safety of the recombinant DNA and genetically engineered microorganisms and recommends if these can be safely used or not. Other important agencies include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA).