March 30, 2004

The first UN Global Biotechnology Forum was held in Concepción, Chile on March 2-5, 2004. This meeting was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Chilean government to examine issues relating to biotechnology and its impact on government, industry and global policy. Over 1400 participants drawn from the scientific community, local and federal governments, as well as the biotechnology industry were in attendance representing about 80 countries throughout the world. The Forum examined the role of biotechnology on a variety of areas including biosafety, technology transfer, agriculture, trade regulations, the environment, and quality of life for developing countries with economies in transition.

In his opening speech, Carlos Magariños, Director-General of UNIDO stated that this first Global Forum has been organized to reach a better understanding of how to mobilize knowledge, skills and technology for developing countries in order to increase their participation in opportunities afforded by new developments in biotechology. The president of Chile, Ricardo Lagos, stressed the importance of such technology for the economies and development of emerging nations. The aim of the conference was to initiate and develop strategies to narrow the technological gap between developed and developing countries. It was also an occasion for debate on the impact of biotechnology on the environment and human health such that consensus can be achieved on such issues as harmonization of regulatory standards and equal access to technology.

Renowned clinical geneticist and CCGS faculty member Jim Evans was invited to speak at the Forum on human genetic research and how technological discoveries in this field can be translated and integrated into the judicial system. Dr. Evans participated in a session at the Forum that also included talks by FBI forensic scientist Jennifer Luttman, legal expert Peter Neufeld from the Cardozo School of Law, and Franklin Zweig, President of the Einstein Institute for Science, Health and the Courts. Dr. Evans also participated in a concurrent meeting with the Chilean court system which addressed judicial education.

Dr. Evans was impressed by the eagerness that the international delegations demonstrated toward biotechnology, “Genetics and biotechnology clearly offer important opportunities for emerging nations in their pursuit of economic and material equity with industrialized nations. It will be important to balance these technologies with the ethical problems they present and to educate policy makers and the lay public alike.”