Many individual companies are undertaking different activities
in support of biosafety and research, development, transfer and use
of biotechnologies in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition.
An example is the Novartis biosafety programme, which has as its
purpose to minimize the potential hazards in the handling of
biological materials. The company has worked with research
institutions in such countries as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand
and Viet Nam to develop their capacities in biotechnology,
including specifically on regulatory aspects of field trials,
product development and distribution. It is planning to fund a
pilot biosafety programme for a selected country in Africa, to be
used as a model for other countries.
An other example is Monsanto, which is working with selected
research institutions in developing countries to develop
biotechnology research capacity related to specific types of LMO
products, with companion capacity-building activities in risk
assessment and LMO regulation. This has involved work in Kenya,
Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Viet Nam.
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