2024-09-05 10:00:04
Did the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) appoint scientists who are too close to the biotechnology industry to its panel on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)? In an analysis published on Thursday, September 5, the German NGO Testbiotech severely criticizes the agency based in Parma (Italy) and estimates that nearly half of its new group of experts on GMOs, installed at the beginning of July for the next five years, has a conflict of interest.
The issue is sensitive for several reasons. On the one hand, because EFSA’s expertise on “new GMOs” – obtained using new genomic techniques (NGT) – forms the basis of the European Commission’s projects, which want to deregulate these new plants. And on the other hand, because the scientific opinions expressed on the subject diverge completely. Adopted in June, EFSA’s latest opinion, in favour of a broad deregulation of these crops, thus goes against the opinions formulated by French experts from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) and the official environmental agencies of Germany and Austria.
According to Testbiotech, seven of the sixteen experts on EFSA’s new GMO panel are “actively engaged in the development of genetically modified plants, some of which are obtained by ‘new genomic techniques’.” Five of them are or have been involved in industrial projects with the firms Limagrain, Syngenta or Corteva, adds the NGO in its analysis. Five are listed as inventors of patents filed by the industry; six are, or have been, stakeholders in lobbying activities in favor of biotechnologies, most of them in connection with the deregulation of plants from NGT.
Lobbying activities
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“We carefully assess the interests of all our experts in accordance with our independence policy, which is recognised as one of the strictest of any public body in Europe.we are told at EFSA. If we find a potential conflict of interest during our checks, we apply strict measures to exclude the expert from any related scientific work. But it is important to emphasize that having an interest does not necessarily imply the existence of a conflict of interest.
The European agency adds that it publishes all the declarations of interests of its experts, a transparency policy thanks to which “NGOs like Testbiotech are able to review our work”However, the German NGO claims to have also identified in several cases lobbying activities not mentioned in the declarations of interests published by EFSA.
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European Commission GMO
Conflicts of Interest in EFSA’s GMO Panel: A Threat to Independent Scientific Advice?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been at the center of a controversy following the appointment of scientists with alleged ties to the biotechnology industry to its panel on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The German NGO Testbiotech has raised concerns that nearly half of the new group of experts on GMOs, installed in July for the next five years, has a conflict of interest. This issue is sensitive because EFSA’s expertise on “new GMOs” forms the basis of the European Commission’s projects, which aim to deregulate these new plants.
EFSA’s Panel on GMOs: Regulatory Guidance and Scientific Advice
The EFSA provides independent scientific advice on food and feed safety, environmental risk assessment, and other aspects of GMOs [[2]]. The agency’s guidance documents detail how to compile GMO applications dossiers and what type of scientific data and other information is required [[1]]. The Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is responsible for providing scientific opinions on GMO applications, including genetically modified maize like DP23211, which was recently assessed for food and feed safety [[3]].
Conflicts of Interest: Allegations and EFSA’s Response
Testbiotech alleges that seven of the sixteen experts on EFSA’s new GMO panel are actively engaged in the development of genetically modified plants, including those obtained using new genomic techniques (NGT). Five of them have been involved in industrial projects with firms like Limagrain, Syngenta, or Corteva, and five are listed as inventors of patents filed by the industry. Moreover, six of them have been stakeholders in lobbying activities in favor of biotechnologies, mostly related to the deregulation of plants from NGT.
In response to these allegations, EFSA maintains that it carefully assesses the interests of all its experts in accordance with its independence policy, which is recognized as one of the strictest of any public body in Europe. The agency emphasizes that having an interest does not necessarily imply the existence of a conflict of interest and that it applies strict measures to exclude experts from related scientific work if a potential conflict is identified.
Implications of Conflicts of Interest in Scientific Advice
The controversy surrounding EFSA’s GMO panel raises important questions about the independence and impartiality of scientific advice. The presence of experts with ties to the biotechnology industry on the panel may undermine the credibility of EFSA’s opinions and create uncertainty among stakeholders. This is particularly concerning given the divergence of scientific opinions on the safety of new GMOs, as expressed by French, German, and Austrian authorities.
the allegations of conflicts of interest in EFSA’s GMO panel highlight the need for transparency, accountability, and robust conflict of interest policies in scientific advisory bodies. Ensuring the independence and impartiality of scientific advice is crucial for maintaining public trust in regulatory decision-making and protecting public health and the environment.
Genetically modified food pros and cons
Conflicts of Interest in EFSA’s GMO Panel: A Threat to Independent Scientific Advice?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been at the center of a controversy following the appointment of scientists with alleged ties to the biotechnology industry to its panel on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The German NGO Testbiotech has raised concerns that nearly half of the new group of experts on GMOs, installed in July for the next five years, has a conflict of interest.
EFSA’s Panel on GMOs: Regulatory Guidance and Scientific Advice
The EFSA provides independent scientific advice on food and feed safety, environmental risk assessment, and other aspects of GMOs [[2]]. The agency’s guidance documents detail how to compile GMO applications dossiers and what type of scientific data and other information is required [[1]]. The Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is responsible for providing scientific opinions on GMO applications, including genetically modified maize like DP23211, which was recently assessed for food and feed safety [[3]].
Conflicts of Interest: Allegations and EFSA’s Response
Testbiotech alleges that seven of the sixteen experts on EFSA’s new GMO panel are actively engaged in the development of genetically modified plants, including those obtained using new genomic techniques (NGT). Five of them
