Message-ID: <9703160215.AA10906@lan.vita.org> Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 21:15:19 EST From: DEVEL-L Administration <mailto:devel@VITA.ORG> Subject: Bioethics announcement. To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
From: mailto:julian@kinderl.demon.co.uk (Julian Kinderlerer) Newsgroups: bionet.announce Subject: Bioethical Aspects of Biotechnology in the Agrofood Sector - Developing Countries Date: 13 Mar 1997 22:40:13 -0800BIOETHICAL ASPECTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE AGROFOOD SECTOR ---- DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
The European Union is funding a project to examine bioethical issues resulting from the application of modern biotechnology in agriculture, fisheries and food. The report resulting from this study will be used in preparation for a Europe-wide conference proposed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in a recommendation made in 1993, supported by the Committee of Ministers, to aid in determining the desirability of the drawing up of a European Convention covering the bioethical aspects of biotechnology in relation to Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Five working groups have been set up to examine the bioethics involved in agriculture relating to
* Food (including animals and food processing); * Industry (non-food biotechnology); * Medicine; * Environment; and * Developing Countries
The brief given to each includes the examination of issues relating to both positive and negative implications of the technology, to include general ethics, patenting, regulation and safety, economic and political issues.
The groups have been asked to
1. review the existing research, any documents or other material in their respective areas 2. identify any deficiencies requiring further review and/or work 3. conduct the appropriate work if necessary 4. draw up a report of their findings.
The working group with responsibility for looking at the issues relating to Developing Countries would welcome ideas aobut the issues. We are a group based in Europe and may not appreciate the perception of modern biotechnology particularly of those in Developing Countries, or those in countries which have until recently had a 'managed economy'.
In order to allow a wide ranging debate, we invite anyone to write to us (e-mail preferred) to provide us with their ideas on the ethical issues associated with modern biotechnology within the agro -food area and the impact on Developing Countries. We will attempt to produce a summary of the comments we receive, and send the summary to all who comment to us. It would be helpful if you could reply only to the e-mai address below, to allow us to handle the replies and ensure a means of distributing summaries of comments.
Please help! - send your e-mail to
Julian Kinderlerer
(Sheffield Institute of Biotechnological Law and Ethics, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom - Phone + 44 (0) 114 222 4324.
[This notice is posted here by R. R. Ronkin, VITA Volunteer, with permission from Julian Kinderlerer.]