The Cornerstone Of Biosafety Administration:The Research Of Asilomar Conference On Recombinant DNA

Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA is a milestone event in the history of biosafety administration.The biologists,the majority of the participants,discussed potential hazards of the recombinant DNA technology and precautionary measures to avoid the potential risks,and formulated the guidelines for recombinant DNA experiments.At last,a summary statement pointed that a consensus was reached with respect to the recombinant DNA technology.Although the Asilomar Conference was held more than 40 years ago,it has profoundly significant effects on biosafety administration.To begin with,the conference decided to restore the research on the recombinant DNA,established the guidelines for recombinant DNA experiments to ensure the biosafety of laboratory,and laid the essential foundation for the biology progress.Moreover,the conference firstly applied the "precautionary principle" to the biosafety issues,which directed the management of genetically modified crops,an important application of the recombinant DNA technology.Although there is great difference of safety administration system for GMO between EU and the U.S.A,the two parties in itself have a different grasp and employment of the same "precautionary principle".Last but not least,the participants included scientists,the media representatives,lawyers and officials.This is a multi-stakeholder pattern which has come into being a basic pattern to deal with biosafety issues.All stakeholders publicly discuss the potentially accompanying risks and uncertainties,which has promoted the sound development of the related technical applications.Faced up with the rapid development of biotechnologies,we can acquire more enlightenments and reflections by reviewing the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA.