Four Synthetic Biology Inventions That Flummox the Feds

October 19, 2015

(Science) – So you’ve made a new product by genetically engineering a living organism, and are eager to sell it in the United States. Before it gets to market, however, you’ll need to answer a critical question: Which U.S. agency has to sign off on its safety? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might all lay claim to a product made through synthetic biology, depending on the method of production and its intended use. But many new technologies don’t fit neatly into the purview of one office, concludes a report released today.