In recent months, the pace of global policy developments in relation to gene editing has often been hard to keep up with. Together, the Covid pandemic, war in Ukraine, and the increasing frequency with which extreme weather events are disrupting the food system have brought a heightened recognition among policymakers of the need to embrace scientific innovation in agriculture and food production. The urgency of international policy action in this area is reflected in the recently published OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-32, which states that: “Surges in agricultural input prices experienced over the last two years have raised concerns about global food security. Investments in innovation, further productivity gains and reductions in the carbon intensity of production are needed to lay the foundation for long-term food security, affordability and sustainability.” Earlier in the year, FAO also released a significant technical report confirming that the possible effects of gene ed
A report from the public committee advising the Norwegian Government on the future regulation of genetic technologies in food was published earlier this week. It concludes that current regulation of precision breeding techniques such as gene editing in Norway and the EU is disproportionately high, and calls for products that are comparable to conventionally bred products to be regulated as such, mirroring a similar approach recently announced by the Canadian authorities.
Potential GMO research misconduct at Norway s Institute of Marine Research Details
Did scientists break the law by eating GMO salmon from their research project? Report: Claire Robinson
A researcher at Norway s Institute of Marine Research has reportedly committed GMO research misconduct, according to a news article published by the Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees.
According to the article, Anna Wargelius killed and ate GMO CRISPR gene-edited salmon from the research project that she leads, claiming it was safe to do so. Her unnamed colleagues on the project also ate the salmon.
There are strict rules for performing research with GMOs in Norway, as laid down in the country s Gene Technology Act. Eating GMO salmon from a research project before it has commercial approval is a violation of the law on several counts, according to a whistleblower scientist who contacted GMWatch and wishes to remain anonymous.
New way found to mass produce sterile salmon
Researcher Anna Wargelius and her colleague Fernanda Almeida rub a genetically modified salmon to extract the eggs. The fish in the photo has had its pigmentation genes removed – this is done so the scientists can see whether the gene editing has been successful. Photo: Erlend A. Lorentzen / IMR
This research is time-consuming because salmon have a long generation interval. Geneticist Anna Wargelius inspects a tank containing various types of salmon. Photo: Erlend A. Lorentzen / IMR
It isn’t necessary to “knock out” the salmons’ pigmentation genes to make them albino, but it allows the researchers to see whether the gene editing has worked. Here Anna Wargelius is pictured holding an albino salmon.