REGULATIONS ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED MICROORGANISMS & THEIR RELATION TO BIOTERRORISM IN INDIA | ||||
| Bulletin of Pharmaceutical Sciences Assiut University | ||||
| Volume 45, Issue 2, December 2022, Page 565-584 PDF (1.04 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/bfsa.2022.271488 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Gurvinder Singh  1; Vikas Budhwar 1; Manjusha Choudhary 2; Sikander Singh 3
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| 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, 124001, Haryana, India | ||||
| 2Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India | ||||
| 3Aimil Pharmaceuticals Ltd., New Delhi, India | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Covid-19, a virus-driven pandemic, has shown the world the possible dangers posed by microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, fungi, and their toxins. However, genetically engineered microorganisms are helpful in various biosciences fields, including medication, horticulture, and fundamental investigation into life processes. Among these, some genetically altered microorganisms have drastic potential to cause harm to humans, and the environment, like the current coronavirus pandemic has shaken the world with fatalities caused by it worldwide and crashed the global economy. On the one hand, genetically engineered organisms help understand the ultrastructure of these organisms and as a tool to combat the disease caused by them. On the other, the increasing research on this also poses a threat to the occurrence of pandemics throughout the world. In India, genetically altered microorganisms are regulated by the Rules, 1989 under sections 6,8 and 25 of the Environment Act, 1986. Bioterrorism is the systematic and deliberate deployment of hazardous organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or toxins to spread infectious diseases on a massive scale to wipe out a vast population. The global incidents of the recent twenty years presented that the danger of biological fighting isn't a fictional thing yet a harsh truth. Hazardous microbes can be utilised in bioterrorism by seeing flare-ups brought about by microorganisms. So, there is a need to improve the countermeasures to tackle the spread of infectious diseases. This review covers the various regulations for genetically altered microorganisms in India regarding their sale, import-export storage, and creation, emphasising regulating bodies; their constitution, and application forms for the registrations and approval for research on such microorganisms, and this assessment presents a clear overview of the country's probable biothreats, current laws, and regulations to combat such incidents, with a significant necessity for their execution, and biodefense measures for readiness and defence, in favour of making India a bioterror-free country. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); Genetically Engineered(GE); Biosafety Level(BSL); Bioterrorism; Biowarfare | ||||
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