Symposium Wrap-up Part 3

Symposium Wrap-up Part 3

Contents

• Symposium Wrap-up
• Symposium Wrap-up Part 1
• Symposium Wrap-up Part 2
• Symposium Wrap-up Part 3
• Symposium Wrap-up Part 4

This is part 3 in our series of 2018 Symposium Wrap-up posts for our symposium and workshop, Genome Editing – Putting Together the Pieces.

In this post, we’ll discuss some of the complications of intellectual property protection when it comes to gene editing. We’ll also discuss some of the regulatory challenges that must be addressed before gene editing can be widely used.

Gene Editing and Intellectual Property

Before even getting started with their research, scientists must navigate licensing arrangements for gene editing tools, both to protect their own inventions and to use others’ inventions.

Regulating Gene Editing

In the United States, there are three primary agencies involved in regulation of biotechnology: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Biotechnology Regulatory Service (BRS) within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). They are each considering how gene editing fits within the scope of current regulations.

The regulatory status of gene edited crops internationally is even less certain.

Part 4 in our series of 2018 Symposium Wrap-up posts will discuss consumer acceptance of gene editing.