Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) UPSC

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)

What is Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee ?

It is a statutory body constituted under the ‘Rules for the Manufacture, Use /Import /Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineering Organisms or Cells, 1989’ notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Note:-

It was formed as the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee and was renamed to its current name in 2010.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee functions under ?

It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

The body regulates the use, manufacture, storage, import, and export of hazardous microorganisms or genetically-engineered organisms and cells in India.

Who chairs Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee ?

The Committee is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of the MoEF&CC. A representative of the Department of Biotechnology is a co-chair.

What are the functions of Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee ?

The functions of the GEAC are:

• It is responsible for the appraisal of activities that involve the large scale use of hazardous microbes and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environment.
• It assesses proposals regarding the release of genetically engineered products and organisms into the environment, and this includes experimental fi eld trials as well.
• It looks into proposals regarding the use of living modifi ed organism that comes in the risk category III and above in the import/manufacture of recombinant pharma products, or where the end-product of the recombinant pharma product is a modified living organism.

Note:-

The Committee has the power to take punitive action against people/bodies under the Environment (Protection) Act.

The approval of the GEAC is mandatory before genetically modifi ed organisms and products derived from them can be used commercially.