Steps Towards a Precautionary Risk Governance of SPAGE Technologies Including Gene-Drives

In view of the rapid dynamics of genetic engineering development (in particular regarding the ‘new gene-technologies’ gene editing, self-propagating artificial genetic elements (SPAGESelf-Propagating Artificial Genetic Elements (SPAGE)) and synthetic biology), the question is being intensively discussed whether the currently practiced risk governance is sufficient to guarantee the desired high level of health, consumer and environmental safety. Especially the extreme spatial and temporal environmental exposure due to released SPAGEs is identified as a problem because it leads to an enormous expansion of ignorance about possible situations and interactions. Therefore it requires measures based on the precautionary principle. Workable ways to integrate the precautionary principle into environmental risk assessment and risk regulation are being developed.

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