Risk-appropriate, science-based innovation regulations are important.

Abstract

Inappropriate and often politicized regulations in many countries have limited the global benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) has proven to be one of the biggest barriers to biotechnological innovations, especially for food-insecure countries. The global movement of international agreements, such as the CPB, Convention on Biological Diversity, and Global Biodiversity Framework, contribute to the erosion of evidence-based regulation, enabling the development and spread of precaution-based regulatory frameworks. Despite 50 years of accumulated knowledge about the safety of genetic modification technology application since the Asilomar Conference, regulatory requirements are increasing, slowing innovation rates. This article discusses the importance of risk-appropriate regulation for innovation efficiency to avoid precaution-based regulation stifling innovation.