Adapting Federal Regulatory Approaches To Advances In Agricultural Biotechnology

Alan Sachs

Since it was first announced by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”) in 1986, the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology (“Framework”) has sought to achieve “reasonable safeguards for the public” by regulating products of biotechnology across a network of agency jurisdictions using existing federal statutory authorities, as opposed to calling for the implementation of new legislation. Working to achieve a balance between appropriate health and environmental safety regulations while maintaining sufficient flexibility to “avoid impeding the growth” of what was considered an “infant industry” at the time, the Framework was built on a foundational determination that the existing mosaic of existing federal laws, as currently implemented, would for the most part “adequately” address regulatory needs.