Brussels, 17/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reconfirmed that the use of the nptII gene as a selectable marker of antibiotic resistance in certain GM plants, such as GM potatoes, does not pose a risk to human or animal health or to the environment.
EFSA's scientific opinion was published on 13 April further to the European Commission's request to consider information forwarded from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) on the therapeutic value of aminoglycoside antibiotics, and to give an opinion on the potential consequences for the safety of the nptII gene. In the light of this information, EFSA was also invited to review the opinions that it had given earlier on a number of genetically modified plants and derived food or feed products containing the nptII marker gene. By giving its new safety assessment of the gene, EFSA thus confirms the validity of its earlier opinions (published in 2004 and 2006).
The European Commission is contemplating granting marketing authorisation for a genetically modified potato line (EU 92-527-1) containing the nptII gene as a selectable marker perfected for the production of amylopectin (a substance contained in plant starch). It was in this context that EFSA had been called upon to give its scientific opinion.
Under the terms of Directive 2001/18/EC, which governs the voluntary dissemination of GMOs into the environment and establishes GMO marketing approval procedures, the member states and the European Commission must ensure that GM plants containing marker genes resistant to antibiotics used in medical or veterinary treatment be duly taken into consideration when assessing the environmental risks - with a view to identifying and eliminating resistance genes present in GMOs, likely to have an adverse effect on human health and the environment. (an)