Are you really that confident in understanding billions of years of evolution when scientists still dont know everything about DNA? Lets be honest, youve admitted youre not perfect so obviously you are still in the early stages of development regardless who gives you the right to sell them.

Expert response from Steve Savage

Consultant, Savage & Associates

Friday, 14/08/2015 10:43

Scientists will never claim to know everything about any topic, but when it comes to DNA and its function we have learned a remarkable amount over several decades.  Scientists began to conduct genetic engineering experiments around 1972. By 1975 the growing community of researchers in that field voluntarily convened the Asilomar Conference where they self-imposed very cautionary guidelines and restrictions for lab research. Those were only relaxed over time as more knowledge was gained.

The ability to intentionally manipulate DNA and test the effects in the lab has allowed our knowledge and understanding to expand extremely rapidly. By the 1980s there were thousands of researchers working all around the world and sharing their knowledge. Because there were exciting applications in many academic disciplines and industries, including medical and bio-industrial applications, huge investments were made in developing the tools and equipment for this sort of research. This, in turn, made it easier and easier to add to the knowledge base. As one example, the rate at which the cost of DNA sequencing has shrunk is more dramatic than the rate at which computer data storage costs have shrunk. 

The field of plant biotechnology has been the beneficiary of this massive public and private investment in molecular genetics, but the same sort of precautionary approach was taken. There were many such meetings, but I was particularly impressed when I had the chance to attend the 1988 conference at UC Davis titled “Risk Assessment in Agricultural Biotechnology.” It was organized by academic scientists and attended by scientists in regulatory agencies and scientists from the small and large biotech companies. Many disciplines were represented, including not just molecular biologists, but also agronomists, microbiologists, ecologists, social scientists and Ag economists. There was a very open and public discussion about all the relevant issues. This was additional input to the already evolving Coordinated Framework which, for the first time in plant breeding, put a three agency regulatory process in place for plants with new traits. This event was still eight more years before serious commercialization began.  

A science that is now more than 40 years old is no longer “in the early stages of development,” particularly considering the ever-accelerating pace of knowledge acquisition. That is why major scientific bodies around the world continue to agree that there is no reason to believe that there is any unusual risk associated with this technology – particularly as it is used with so much regulatory oversight. I don’t know of any other new technology that has ever been launched so carefully and with such a good track record. And yes, we know a lot about what has happened over billions of years of evolution because the story is so traceable in the DNA of every living thing.

Expert response from Steve Savage

Consultant, Savage & Associates

Friday, 14/08/2015 10:43

Scientists will never claim to know everything about any topic, but when it comes to DNA and its function we have learned a remarkable amount over several decades.  Scientists began to conduct genetic engineering experiments around 1972. By 1975 the growing community of researchers in that field voluntarily convened the Asilomar Conference where they self-imposed very cautionary guidelines and restrictions for lab research. Those were only relaxed over time as more knowledge was gained.

The ability to intentionally manipulate DNA and test the effects in the lab has allowed our knowledge and understanding to expand extremely rapidly. By the 1980s there were thousands of researchers working all around the world and sharing their knowledge. Because there were exciting applications in many academic disciplines and industries, including medical and bio-industrial applications, huge investments were made in developing the tools and equipment for this sort of research. This, in turn, made it easier and easier to add to the knowledge base. As one example, the rate at which the cost of DNA sequencing has shrunk is more dramatic than the rate at which computer data storage costs have shrunk. 

The field of plant biotechnology has been the beneficiary of this massive public and private investment in molecular genetics, but the same sort of precautionary approach was taken. There were many such meetings, but I was particularly impressed when I had the chance to attend the 1988 conference at UC Davis titled “Risk Assessment in Agricultural Biotechnology.” It was organized by academic scientists and attended by scientists in regulatory agencies and scientists from the small and large biotech companies. Many disciplines were represented, including not just molecular biologists, but also agronomists, microbiologists, ecologists, social scientists and Ag economists. There was a very open and public discussion about all the relevant issues. This was additional input to the already evolving Coordinated Framework which, for the first time in plant breeding, put a three agency regulatory process in place for plants with new traits. This event was still eight more years before serious commercialization began.  

A science that is now more than 40 years old is no longer “in the early stages of development,” particularly considering the ever-accelerating pace of knowledge acquisition. That is why major scientific bodies around the world continue to agree that there is no reason to believe that there is any unusual risk associated with this technology – particularly as it is used with so much regulatory oversight. I don’t know of any other new technology that has ever been launched so carefully and with such a good track record. And yes, we know a lot about what has happened over billions of years of evolution because the story is so traceable in the DNA of every living thing.