Biotechnology Executive Order Advances Regulation and Acceptance of GE Microbes in the US

The Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (CFRB) has been the regulatory review system in the United States since its establishment in 1986. With the emergence of genetic engineering (GE) on microbes, the commentary, published in GM Crops & Food, identifies the weaknesses and challenges associated with the CFRB in assessing the current system.

CFRB authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review and determine the safety of biotechnology products. Through the Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework, the authors were able to identify important criteria for the evaluation of technology governance and oversight.

The weaknesses identified were related to clarity, transparency, input, and social acceptance. The authors suggest that novel technologies, such as GE microbes, necessitate changes to CFRB to make the regulatory review effective and efficient. Improving these areas could facilitate public support and commercialization of these technologies.

The authors believe that the 2022 Executive Order on the Bioeconomy and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act not only provide funding and directives to the system but also open an opportunity to improve the regulatory process in the United States and increase public acceptance of GE technologies.

For more information, read the commentary on GM Crops & Food.