Genetically Engineered Animals, Drugs, and Neoliberalism: The Need for a New Biotechnology Regulatory Policy Framework

• Published in: Journal of agricultural & environmental ethics 2017-12, Vol.30 (6), p.715-743
• Main Author: Meghani, Zahra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural biotechnology; Agricultural Economics; Animals; Biotechnology; Decision making; Drugs; Ecosystems; Education; Environmental impact; Ethics; Evolutionary Biology; Federal regulation; Genetic engineering; Neoliberalism; Philosophy; Plant Sciences; Regulatory agencies; Risk assessment; Theory of Medicine/Bioethics; Wildlife management
• ISSN: 1187-7863; 1573-322X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10806-017-9696-1

Genetically engineered (GE) animals that are meant for release in the wild could significantly impact ecosystems given the interwoven or entangled existence of species. Therefore, among other things, it is all too important that regulatory agencies conduct entity appropriate, rigorous risk assessments that can be used for informed decision-making at the local, national and global levels about the release of those animals in the wild. In the United States (US), certain GE animals that are intended for release in the wild may be regulated as new animal drugs by the Food and Drug Administration. This paper argues that the decision to treat them as new animal drugs is attributable to the influence of neoliberalism on the US biotechnology regulatory policy framework. The case is made that there should be public democratic deliberations and decision-making about the values and concerns that should guide the nation’s biotechnology regulatory policy paradigm, including the risk assessment process for GE animals meant for release in the wild.