RECOMBINANTDNASAFETYGUIDELINES,1990.doc

RECOMBINANT DNA SAFETY GUIDELINES, 1990 Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India INTRODUCTION The new capabilities to manipulate the genetic material present tremendous potential and find use in many novel experiments and applications. These developments have generated a sense of concern among scientists working in biological areas and others to find ways how safely the research in the field should be carried out and means to regulate work involving pathogenic microorganisms and genes of virulence. Several countries have formulated safety guidelines and regulations for research in the field of recombinant DNA, large scale use of them in production process and their applications in the environment. Considering the possible incremental risks associated with the use of new techniques in laboratory research with pathogenic microorganisms, the National Biotechnology Board issued a set of safety guidelines for India in 1983 to ensure the safety of workers in the laboratory environment. While framing the guidelines, the Committee took into account the local factors such as resistance to infection (immunity), host parasite burden in the community, laboratory environment and chances of survival and growth of altered organisms under the tropical conditions. Remarkable developments have ensured in the last few years in the field of genetic manipulation and the scenario has shifted from the laboratories to the market place elsewhere. In India there is a growing awareness of the commercial potential of Biotechnology and efforts are being made to promote large scale use of indigenously relevant biotechnologies. A large number of research institutions in Government, Universities and private RD labs have active biotech programmes where research is being done in both in basic and applied fronts utilising microorganisms plant and animals, tissue culture and cell lines and on development of vaccines towards communicable diseases of both m