A huge variety of naked/free nucleic acids are being produced in …

• Executive Summary
• ‘Naked’ and ‘free’ nucleic acids
• DNA persists in all environments and is readily taken up by cells of all organisms
• Hazards of naked nucleic acids
• The horizontal transfer of transgenic DNA
• The hazards of horizontal gene transfer
• Conclusion
• References
• Box 1: Naked nucleic acids in genetic engineering biotechnology
• Box 2 Free nucleic acids resulting from genetic engineering biotechnology
• Box 3: Hazards from naked nucleic acids
• Box 4: Reasons to expect that transgenic DNA may be more likely to spread horizontally than non-transgenic DNA
• Box 5: Potential hazards from horizontal gene transfer of naked/free nucleic acids
• Box 6: Possible links between genetic engineering biotechnology and the recent resurgence of infectious diseases
• Box 7: Current regulatory oversight is seriously out of date and does not address the dangers of naked or free nucleic acids

• there is no monitoring for horizontal gene transfer in current field trials, including the farm-scale field trials supported by the Government
  
• there is no requirement for industry to monitor for horizontal gene transfer in seeking approval for field trials or commercial release
  
• there is no requirement for industry to monitor for horizontal gene transfer prior or subsequent to discharge of transgenic wastes from contained use into the environment
  
• current regulation allows certain live genetically engineered bacteria to be discharged into the environment without any pretreatment
  
• undegraded transgenic DNA from killed bacteria and viruses are routinely discharged into the environment,
  
• there is no requirement for industry to report on health impacts of transgenic DNA, which may spread drug and antibiotic resistance among pathogens, create new viral and bacterial pathogens as well as cause cancer; nor is there any monitoring of such health impacts being conducted by our Government
  
• Nucleic acid sequences and constructs, including artificial viral vectors, and other genetic parasites are not subject to regulation, and may be freely discharged into the environment
  
• current regulation of contained use still regard DNA as an ordinary, non-hazardous chemical which can be released unchecked into the environment