Strong ScanBalt Presence at Nordic Council Biotechnology Meeting

“Nordic politicians should learn more about biotechnology issues and join in the wider debate about them rather than concentrate on the controversial aspects. It is our job as politicians to assume responsibility for the future and for research, “Britt Hildeng of the Social Democratic Group on the Nordic Council told the Council meeting in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

A seminar about a joint Nordic biotechnology policy was arranged to draw attention to the difficult ethical questions thrown up by increasingly advanced biotechnology.

“Research and the application of biotechnology is not just a health policy issue. Economic considerations are just as important, in some cases more so, even though it is not always admitted,” Professor Lene Koch of the University og Copenhagen said in her introduction to the session on “Opportunities and challenges for health and welfare”. She cited the example of the Danish offer of screening for pregnant women. The concealed motive is budget cutbacks but that is considered politically incorrect. Arne Lyngstad of the Citizen’s Committee confirmed that it is often utilitarian financial thinking that determines which research projects get off the ground.

Børge Diedrichsen, Head of Research at Novo Nordisk and a member of the ScanBalt research network stressed the importance of Nordic co-ordination of legislation governing the biotechnology sector so that the Nordic Region is an attractive biotechnology region to the outside world.

Bo Samuelsson, Chairman of ScanBalt, gave a presentation to the assembled politicians concerning ScanBalt BioRegion and its role as a model Metaregion.

News Source: Nordic Council