By Charlie Arnot
CEO of The Center for Food Integrity
The FDA recently approved a drug developed through gene editing to treat sickle cell disease. An independent review committee praised the results of clinical trials where 29 of 30 patients with at least 18 months of follow-up no longer experienced the severe pain crisis often associated with the disease. This is great news for those who suffer from the debilitating disease, and the tip of the iceberg for the applications of gene editing in human medicine – and agriculture.
Gene editing allows researchers to target specific DNA and make small precise changes to achieve a beneficial outcome. In the case of sickle cell disease, researchers were able to stop the production of the crescent-shaped blood cells that cause severe pain, make breathing difficult and cause strokes.
Gene editing applications are being developed by leading universities, government research institutes, pharmaceutical companies and biotech companies around the globe. The more than 3,500 gene therapies being developed for human medicine hold promise for treating a wide range of diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS. Nearly half of the therapies in development target cancer.
Innovations in Agriculture
In agriculture, more than 500 products are in development with the potential to prevent disease in plants and animals, reduce the food system’s impact on the environment, increase the nutritional value of food, improve shelf life and much more. Here are three examples.
Pivot Bio has developed a gene-edited microbe that allows corn plants to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing the need for supplemental petroleum-based fertilizer.
Genus/PIC has developed a pig resistant to a devastating virus that kills millions of pigs each year. Not only will this reduce suffering and premature death, but it also reduces the environmental impact of pork production.
GreenVenus is developing a wide range of vegetables, including a non-browning avocado, which will extend the shelf-life of this finicky fruit and reduce food waste.
This is a small sampling of the countless promising applications of gene editing making their way to market.
A Commitment to Trust
While the future of gene editing looks very bright, the potential of this life-changing technology will only be realized if it has broad public acceptance.
That’s why The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) created the Coalition for the Responsible Use of Gene Editing and the Framework for Responsible Use, and why we’ve conducted extensive consumer research on how to build trust in this promising technology.
While regulatory agencies assure safety, we know trust and public acceptance require more. CFI convened a group of NGOs, farmers, food companies, food retailers, academics and related associations to develop the framework. It includes commitments to transparency, stakeholder engagement and a review of social considerations and more that contribute to trust and acceptance.
Gene editing has incredible potential to improve our lives and the world around us through both medicine and agriculture. Those of us in the food system should be as committed to building trust in this game-changing technology as the developers are in finding solutions for some of the world’s most challenging problems. Here’s what you can do to help gene editing improve our world.
If you are a developer bringing products to market, join others who have been verified in the framework to demonstrate your commitment to practices that build trust.
If you are a food manufacturer or retailer, join those who require verification of developers who sell products into their supply chain.
Voluntary participation in this trust-building market assurance program is an opportunity for companies to demonstrate their commitment to building trust and assure consumers the technology is being used responsibly.
We encourage food and agriculture organizations engaged in gene editing research, development or product commercialization to join us on the journey of building trust in gene editing so the world can realize the important benefits this technology offers to people, plants, animals and the planet.