Abstract

Reference: Canada CBAC 2002
Title: Improving the Regulation of Genetically Modified Foods and Other Novel Foods in Canada. Report to the Government of Canada Biotechnology Ministerial Coordinating Committee, Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee.
Authors: Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee
Publisher: Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee, 240 Sparks Street, Room 561 E, Ottawa ON K1A 0H5 Canada
Publication details: August 2002. 92p.

This Report is an update on CBAC’s Interim Report, published in 2001 (CBAC 2001). We undertook this project to identify and examine the issues pertinent to the regulation of genetically modified (GM) foods. Our recommendations were guided by research work, consultations with and feedback from key stakeholder groups and the public, as well as the deliberations of the GM Food Steering Committee and other CBAC members.

The issues surrounding GM foods are complex and positions of various stakeholder groups have become polarized. We found no evidence that GM foods, approved under the current regulatory system, pose any greater health or environmental risk than other foods in the marketplace.

We have identified important opportunities to improve the management and coordination of the regulatory system, to improve the communication with the public and to strengthen the regulatory system’s capacity to both deal with more complex GM food products now in development and to incorporate scientific and technical advances as they emerge. We are hopeful that our recommendations, taken together, will not only improve the regulation of GM foods, but may also improve the public’s confidence in the regulatory process through enhanced transparency and opportunity for public involvement. We would also note that there are a number of non-science based issues, such as social and ethical concerns, that are important to Canadians when considering the acceptability of GM foods. We draw the government’s attention to CBAC’s support of the development of a tool to incorporate these dimensions into the overall debate and to the need for government to lend its support to further work in this area.

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