Karinne Ludlow

Factors associated with return-to-work and health outcomes among survivors of road crashes in Victoria.

Objective: To explore the relationships between injury, disability, work role and return‐to‐work outcomes following admission to hospital as a consequence of injury sustained in a road crash.

Hitting the mark or falling short with nanotechnology regulation

Regulation of all new technology ebbs and flows between periods of under- and over-regulation, often dependant on the viewpoint of the observer and the underlying objectives of the particular regulation. As illustrated by genetic modification (GM) applications, defining what constitutes appropriate regulation for a rapidly evolving technology can be difficult. Drawing upon the lessons of GM, we argue that nanotechnology will go through similar periods of inappropriate regulation. As with GM, future regulatory responses to nanotechnology will be shaped by perceptions of risk and willingness to accept varying levels of risk. With varying responses between jurisdictions appearing inevitable, we argue that the timing and type of regulation adopted for nanotechnology, and its appropriateness, will be crucial to its commercial success.

Socio-economic Considerations in Biotechnology Regulation

Introduction to Regulating LMOs.- The State of Science-based Regulation and GM crops.- Socio-Economic Considerations and the Regulations of LMOs.- Benefits to Producers and Society.- Consumer Choice.- Environmental Impacts.- Ethical/Equity.- Food Security.- Health Impacts.- Impacts on Biodiversity.- Indigenous Knowledge.- Intellectual Property Rights.- Labor Impacts.- Market Access and Trade.- Producer Choice.- Religious/Cultural.- Animal Welfare.- Potential Consequences from the Inclusion of Socio-economics in Decision Making.- A Decision Making Framework for Implementation Issues.- Ensuring Functional Biosafety Systems.

Conclusions: Big Regulatory Questions – Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue?

This important volume is a timely contribution to increasing international calls to regulate nanotechnologies. By investigating the ways in which we could regulate these advances, and what we are learning from regulating existing technologies, such as biotechnologies and information technologies, the book debates the roles of government, business actors and the professions in protecting and enhancing the lives of citizens. In placing particular emphasis on the lessons of earlier technology advances, this book is unique in its broad consideration of the ethical, legal and social issues entwined within the development of the nanotechnology family.

The State of Science-Based Regulation and Genetically Modified Crops

This chapter discusses the relationship between risk and innovation. This is done by first, providing the background to the establishment and then the evolution of the risk analysis framework and second, by discussing the international governance capacity of risk and biotechnology. The highlights the gaps in the international regulatory structure for products of biotechnology. Following this, the chapter provides a detailed assessment of the North American regulatory framework for genetically modified crops. This portion of the chapter identifies the government departments and agencies that are involved in the regulation framework and the Acts that govern their oversight role. The chapter concludes that science-based regulatory systems provide a consistent and transparent process for managing the commercialization of innovative crop research.

Introduction to Socio-Economic Considerations in the Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms

Just over 20 years ago, an innovation occurred in agriculture-one with global implications. From this modest beginning, agricultural biotechnology and GM crops have become nothing short of the most rapidly, and widely, adopted innovation in the history of commodity agriculture. This book aims to provide an overview of socio-economic considerations (SEC) assessment in biotechnology regulation as a resource for policy makers and other interested stakeholders concerned with the development of best practice, methods and policy guidelines for SEC evaluation implementation and inclusion in decision making. This chapter sets the scene for the remainder of the chapters.

Assessing the SEC Landscape and Moving Forward

Globally, innovation in the field of agriculture face numerous constraints, due to a number of factors. One of these constraints is the increased burden of regulation. Science-based regulation of GM crops has a unique set of challenges, which are further increased when socio-economic considerations are included as part of the regulatory framework. This chapter provides a synopsis of the chapter and offers some concluding thoughts on the future of GM crop commercializations.

Ensuring Food Safety: General Principles for Safeguarding What You Eat Including the Role of Food Labels

Abstract There is an implicit—and reasonable—assumption that the food we buy is safe for consumption. However, food regulatory schemes face very real challenges in regulating to ensure that safety. One such challenge is posed by new technologies and technological processes within the agri-food sector. This chapter examines how food regulatory regimes are responding to nanobased food products to ensure food safety. To do this, it is important to first understand the framework in which they operate and the general principles governing their operation. This is examined in the first part of this chapter. The second part of the chapter provides an overview of this global architecture and the key principles underpinning it. These standards and principles are then incorporated and reflected in the national schemes through their vested powers and regulatory tools. With the question of labeling continuing to be a contentious issue among stakeholders the third part of this chapter provides an in-depth examination of the so-called nanolabeling debate, framed by the general principles outlined in the second part. The chapter concludes by reminding us of the real value of food, and the myriad of challenges it presents to policy makers and regulators alike, regardless of the technology used to produce it.

Ensuring Functional Biosafety Systems

The objective of this chapter is to highlight the methodological issues that arise and to provide a sense of the fundamental challenges that will need to be resolved prior to the introduction of a regime where SECs are included as part of the regulation of the import and production of GMOs and that are in compliance with the implementing countries’ international obligations.

International Context of Socioeconomic Considerations and the Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms

Many countries have made significant investment in developing broad agricultural biotechnology capacity focused on developing plant and animal breeding, advanced genomics, tissue culture, and genetic transformations (Falck-Zepeda et al. 2009). Developing countries have been particularly interested in supporting their resource poor smallholder farmers while addressing multiple productivity challenges and cultural diversity and operating in agricultural and natural ecosystems which may be mega biodiverse. These challenges are made more difficult to overcome because developing countries also face significant institutional and policy challenges.