Unjustified regulation prevents use of GMO technology for public good

摘要

Transgenic plants are regulated for their technology because they have been claimed to lead to uncontrolled and unpredictable alterations of the genome and, therefore, to unpredictable risks to the environment and the consumer. This argument can, however, never justify regulation, because each technology used in plant breeding, so far, has exactly the same consequences. As a result of regulation, genetically modified organism (GMO) product devel- opment is so expensive and time-consuming that it is beyond the capacity of public institutions and for public good.