At the beginning of May, GMWatch published a review of the UK government’s genetic technology legislation and supporting guidance.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 dismisses crucial genetic elements, including gene copy number, epigenetic status and location in the genome, which can impact the safety of genetically modified “precision bred” organisms.

Ignoring these elements can put public health and the environment at risk, as they can affect the function of newly introduced genetic features and the modified organism’s host genes.

And the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025 fare no better.  It lacks robust regulatory oversight, allowing gene-edited organisms to be marketed without thorough safety assessments.

The regulations ban regulators from requiring tests that could reveal risks associated with gene-edited, genetically modified organisms (“GMOs”).

The absence of mandatory detection methods and traceability means that problems caused by gene-edited organisms may never be traced and conventional and organic breeders may be vulnerable to patent infringement claims.

“The legislation and accompanying guidance fail to protect public health and the environment from the still poorly understood risks of gene-editing technologies,” the review concludes.

Read more: UK government regulations for GMOs fail to protect the public and the environment