Sappington Thomas W, Ostlie Kenneth R, Difonzo Christina, Hibbard Bruce E, Krupke Christian H, Porter Patrick, Pueppke Steven, Shields Elson J, Tollefson Jon J
USDA-ARS, Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Genetics Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, USA.
GM Crops. 2010 Mar-Apr;1(2):55-8. doi: 10.4161/gmcr.1.2.10833.
Public-sector scientists have a mandate to independently evaluate agricultural products available to American farmers on the open market, whereas the companies that sell the products must protect their intellectual property. However, as a consequence of the latter concern, public scientists currently are prohibited by industry-imposed restrictions from conducting research on commercialized transgenic seed without permission of the company. Industry acknowledged the seriousness of the problem after public warnings by a large group of entomologists to EPA and scientific advisory panels that the assumption of independence of public-sector studies on these products is no longer valid under current restrictions. Both industry and public scientists are working to find an amicable, mutually-acceptable solution. Recently, the American Seed Trade Association brokered a draft set of principles designed to protect the legitimate property rights of companies while allowing public scientists independence to conduct most types of research on their commercialized products without the need for case-by-case agreements. While there are a number of potential pitfalls in implementation of the principles across companies, this effort represents a major step forward, and there is reason for optimism that this approach can be made to work to the benefit of industry, public scientists, and the American public.
公共部门的科学家有责任独立评估美国农民在公开市场上可获得的农产品，而销售这些产品的公司则必须保护其知识产权。然而，出于后一种担忧，目前公共科学家受到行业施加的限制，未经公司许可，不得对商业化转基因种子进行研究。在一大批昆虫学家向美国环境保护局（EPA）和科学咨询小组发出公开警告后，行业承认了这一问题的严重性，即目前的限制条件下，公共部门对这些产品的研究独立性假设已不再成立。行业和公共科学家都在努力寻找一个友好、双方都能接受的解决方案。最近，美国种子贸易协会促成了一套原则草案，旨在保护公司的合法产权，同时允许公共科学家在无需逐案达成协议的情况下，独立对其商业化产品进行大多数类型的研究。尽管在跨公司实施这些原则方面存在许多潜在的陷阱，但这一努力代表了向前迈出的重要一步，我们有理由乐观地认为，这种方法能够发挥作用，造福于行业、公共科学家和美国公众。
