On 12 March 2008, the EU Commission delayed approval of an antibiotics resistant potato. This effectively results in the prohibition of its planting in 2008. EPHA will keep alert and proactive until a definite refusal to allow commercialisation of this potato is issued by the Commission.
Greenpeace, supported by EPHA, strongly urged the Commission not to allow the commercialisation of this antibiotic resistant potato.
On 12 March 2008, voting members of the EU Commission delayed approval of this product, effectively prohibiting its planting in 2008.
If the Commission allowed its commercialisation, it would have broken European legislation and gone against scientific evidence from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the recommendations made by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
Background
The genetically modified potato developed by a German biotech company, produces unusually large quantities of starch suitable for paper and feed chain suppliers and contains the controversial antibiotics resistant marker genes (ARMG) kanamycin and neomycin.
Under Article 4(2) of Directive 2001/18/EC, ARMGs which may have adverse effects on human health and the environment should have been phased out by the end of 2004.
However, in 2004, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) classified the two marker genes into group 1, meaning that these antibiotics “have no or only minor therapeutic relevance in human medicine”. Yet, in 2007, although it has acknowledged its mistake concerning the therapeutic relevance of the antibiotics following WHO scientific evidence and EMEA recommendations, EFSA did not reclassify the marker genes into group 3 according which they should be banned “irrespective of considerations about the realistic value of the threat”.
Furthermore EMEA has made the link between the genes used for this potato and risk of increasing drug resistance for TB. The World Health Organisation revealed that levels of multidrug resistant TB are the highest ever throughout the world and extensively drug resistant TB has been found in 45 countries including several European ones.
On 17 February, the EU Agriculture Council did not approve the application and the Commission was thus the one in charge of taking the decision.
Next steps
Since the decision on the application has only been postponed, the Commission is likely to come back to it in 2009.
EPHA comment
“Antibiotics are our first and last line of defence against infectious diseases. We can’t afford to let a potato for the paper industry undermine one of our most valuable weapons in the fight against deadly pathogens and superbugs”, EPHA Secretary General, Monika Kosinska, said.
EPHA will therefore stay alert and proactive until the definite refusal.
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For further information
– GMO Compass
– Greenpeace
