Court told agency took great care in permitting genetic field tests

The Environmental Protection Agency evaluated all risks posed by the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms during field trials of genetically modified sugar beet in Co Carlow before permitting the releases, the High Court has been told. Mr Gerry Carty, programme manager of the environmental management and planning division of the EPA, said the agency took great care in evaluating the risks to human health and the environment in reaching its decision to permit the release by Monsanto plc of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In deciding to permit the releases, he said the agency took into account the risk of horizontal gene transfer and the transfer of genetic material from the genetically modified sugar beet plants to micro-organisms.

In an affidavit, he said the agency had considered a paper by Dr Mae Wan Ho, of the Open University biology department, Milton Keynes, as part of the materials related to the issues.

He said the members of the EPA were familiar with the published scientific literature on the transfer of genetic material.

The experts consulted by the agency considered the risk of possible horizontal gene flow from genetically modified sugar beet to micro-organisms to be so low as to be negligible and this view was supported by the greater part of the available scientific literature.

Mr Carty's affidavit was read to the court on the fourth day of the hearing of a challenge by Ms Clare Watson, of the organisation Genetic Concern, to the decision of the EPA, of May 1st, 1997, to consent to the deliberate release by Monsanto plc of GMOs in field trials of genetically engineered sugar beet on lands owned by Teagasc, at Oak Park, Co Carlow.

The court has heard Monsanto was conducting the trials to test the effects of its weedkiller - Roundup - on glyphosate-tolerant sugar beet.

A paper by Dr Wan Ho, entitled "Are Current Transgenic Technologies Safe?", was read to the court yesterday. In the paper, Dr Wan Ho said there are inherent hazards in current transgenic technologies and there was no case for relaxing existing and already inadequate guidelines.

She said a moratorium on environmental releases and marking of transgenic products should be seriously considered until the evidence could be fully assessed and legally binding biosafety regulations firmly established.

Genetic engineering bypassed conventional breeding by using artificially constructed genetic elements as vectors to carry and smuggle genes into cells.

Once inside cells, the vectors slotted themselves into the host genome. In this way, transgenic organisms were made carrying the desired transgenes.

Dr Wan Ho said the insertion of foreign genes into the host genome had long been known to have many harmful and fatal effects including cancer. Transgenic microorganisms could have unexpected ecological effects.

During yesterday's hearing, both sides agreed to get together to try and agree a simplified guide to genetic engineering. Mr John Gordon SC, for Ms Watson, said he hoped the guide would be agreed by Tuesday when the hearing resumes before Mr Justice O'Sullivan.