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The precautionary principle

Nature Biotechnology volume 18, page 697 (2000)Cite this article

To the editor:

Miller and Conko's commentary (Nat. Biotechnol. 18, 360, 2000) criticizes the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the following operative provision implementing the precautionary principle: “lack of scientific certainty due to insufficient relevant scientific information and knowledge regarding the extent of the potential adverse effects of a living modified organism (LMO) on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in the Party of import, taking also into account risks to human health, shall not prevent that Party from taking a decision, as appropriate, with regard to the import of the LMO … in order to avoid or minimize such potential adverse effects1.”

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References

  1. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (http://www.biodiv.org/biosafe/BIOSAFETY-PROTOCOL.htm).

  2. Communication from the Commission on the precautionary principle (http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/off/com/health_consumer/precaution.htm)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Nussdorfer Lände 11, Vienna, A-1190, Austria

    Bernhard Jank

  2. Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, A-1090, Austria

    Johannes Rath

Authors
  1. Bernhard Jank
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  2. Johannes Rath
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Jank, B., Rath, J. The precautionary principle. Nat Biotechnol 18, 697 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/77178

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