DNA experiment guidelines set out by NSC

The National Science Council (NSC, 國科會) yesterday unveiled draft guidelines for DNA experiments, with an eye toward bringing the standards of Taiwan's science laboratories in line with international levels.

"Biotechnology has been booming in recent years. We need new guidelines to manage gene-related research in Taiwan," said Chang Wen-chang (張文昌), the NSC's director-general of life sciences.

Chang said the new guidelines will be implemented in August next year. They will cover "recombinant DNA" experiments, which is the joining together of two or more separate DNA strands to form a new DNA molecule.

Fearing recombinant DNA or genetically modified organisms could be inadvertently released into the environment, the US established guidelines for recombinant DNA experiments in 1976, followed by Japan in 1981. Taiwan established some principles in 1989, "but standards were not strictly enforced," Chang said.

A 12-person draft committee of experts -- headed by biochemistry professor and Academia Sinica member Lin Jung-yaw (林榮耀) -- said the new guidelines were necessary in order to "make Taiwan's DNA research and products acceptable to other countries."

"All research centers also have to organize a safety committee on bio-experiments," Lin said. "It's imperative."

Physical containment is a crucial requirement when conducting recombinant DNA experiments. The draft guidelines propose four levels of laboratory security -- P1 to P4, with P4 indicating high contamination risk.

The P1 level applies to basic lab experiments: drinking and eating are forbidden in laboratories.

"Milk for drinking and cultured pathogens are commonly placed together in the refrigerators of many of Taiwan's laboratories," Lin said.

The P2 level is for experiments involving hepatitis B, dengue fever, cholera and similar dangers. Lin said that labs conducting P2-level experiments should enforce security to restrict access to sensitive areas.

The P3 level is for very dangerous viruses, such as HIV. Air pressure inside a laboratory is kept lower than outside pressure in order to prevent a virus from escaping the lab. "There are only two laboratories in Taiwan that meet this requirement," Lin said.

The P4 level is for the world's most dangerous viruses, such as the Ebola virus. "Only the National Defense Medical Center's laboratory in Sanhsia has facilities capable of carrying out experiments at P4 levels," Lin said.

The NSC's draft guidelines were also established to help Taiwan meet other international standards as well, specialists said.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety -- which sets guidelines for the safe transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms -- was signed last month by more than 50 countries in Nairobi, Kenya.

"Taiwan needs to catch up with international trends for the sake of future international exchanges," Lin said.