§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the antibiotics to which marker genes used in the production of genetically modified crops convey resistance and the medical uses of those antibiotics. [121657]
§ Mr. MorleyThe following table lists antibiotics to which marker genes used in the development of genetically modified crops convey resistance and their medical uses in the UK.
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Antibiotic Medical uses Kanamycin very little therapeutic use, no licensed products in the UK Neomycin Various eye drops, dermatology preparations for topical treatment, bowel sterilisation before surgery Ampicillin A broad spectrum antibiotic, urinary and respiratory tract infections AmoxyciUin A broad spectrum antibiotic, urinary and respiratory tract infections, prevention of endocarditis Hygromycin Not licensed in the UK
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) which antibiotic marker genes are no longer in use in the genetic modification of plant crops; [121658]
(2) what progress has been made in phasing out the use of antibiotic marker genes in the genetic modification of plant crops. [121660]
§ Mr. MorleyThere is no current list of antibiotic resistance markers that cannot be used in the genetic modification of plant crops. Article 4(2) of Directive 2001/18/EC refers to the phasing out of genes expressing resistance to antibiotics which may have adverse effects on human health and the environment or are of use in medical or veterinary treatment. This phasing out must take place by 31 December 2004 in the case of GM crop plants for marketing and by 31 December 2008 in the case of the release of GM crop plants for research and development purposes. In accordance with this requirement the Commission has established an expert working group to address the use of antibiotic resistance marker (ARMs) genes that GMOs may contain and will aim to produce a list of ARMs which must be phased out.
The Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment (ACRE) encourages the avoidance and minimisation of the use and expression of superfluous transgenes or sequences in the development of GM crops, including reduced use of marker genes such as ARMs1. Antibiotic maker genes which are considered to have adverse effects on human health or the environment have not been approved for either research and development or commercial releases of GM crop plants.
1 Guidance on Principles of Best Practice in the Design of Genetically Modified Plants; available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/ acre/bestprac/guidance/index.htm
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the antibiotic marker genes, and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, that are in use in the genetic modification of plant crops. [121659]
§ Mr. MorleyThe table lists the antibiotic resistance marker genes and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, which have been used in the genetic modification of crop plants for research releases in the United Kingdom.
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Gene Antibiotic nptll or neo Kanamycin and Neomycin bla Ampicillin and Amoxycillin hptll Hygromycin The intact nptll gene is present in some of the GM crop plants which have received marketing authorisation. The bla gene has been used in the development of some commercial GM crop plants however a fully functional coding gene is not present in any GM plants which have received marketing authorisation in the EU.