Responsible behaviour in biotechnology
As with every innovative future technology biotechnology harbours both chances and risks. In order to minimise the latter, great endeavours have been made by all involved from the beginning. The aim: responsible behaviour and dialogue between the actors of biotechnology and society.
In particular in the area of genetic engineering, science has taken care right from the beginning to ensure the best possible protection of people and the environment. Already in 1978 ”guidelines for the protection from danger from in vitro newly combined nucleic acids in the FRG“, in short "gene guidelines" were adopted. In 1990 these were then supplemented by a law (including amendments) on the question of genetic engineering which is still valid today. Furthermore there are now two significant EU guidelines for conduct in genetic engineering.
On the basis of these legal specifications, numerous aspects of genetic engineering are investigated for their risk potential in the scope of biological safety research. Genetically modified plants may only be released if they have first been tested for possible risks to humans, animals and the environment according to the current state of science and technology. The operation of closed systems which process genetically modified organisms, is also subject to strict regulations. You can find detailed information about current and completed projects biological safety research on genetically modified plants in Germany on the internet portal bioSicherheit.de.
An area of biotechnological medical research, which is highly sensitive not for reasons of biological safety but for ethical reasons, is research on embryonic stem cells. The so called stem cell law provides the framework in Germany, on the one hand to enable the development of new forms of therapy and on the other hand to guarantee the best possible protection for the embryo.
The knowledge gained about the genetic principles and risk factors for illnesses such as cancer will provide a huge amount of medical data for physicians and patients in the future, which also poses difficult questions: how does the patient benefit from the knowledge that there is a higher possibility that they will develop a particular illness? Is there a right not to know? Questions such as these and the development of a more and more individualised medicine will pose completely new challenges for the structuring and financing of healthcare systems.
These few examples show that there is no simple answer or ready-made solution for many new questions in the context of biotechnology. Instead continuous, informed dialogue between all socially relevant groups is required to answer these questions. A basic understanding of the scientific-technical background is an important requirement among others. The initiative ”BIOTechnikum, investigate life - design the future“, makes an important contribution to this understanding.
Legal regulations in the biotechnology sector
Numerous laws, orders and guidelines regulate research, development and the introduction of biotechnological products, processes and services. An overview shows the most important regulations at a glance.
