Text: U.S. Embassy Sponsors Biotechnology Conference

Conference in The Hague attracts biotech leaders

An international conference bringing together leading figures in biotechnology to discuss its implications for the developed and developing worlds will be held at The Hague Congress Center on January 20 and 21.

In a January 13 press release, U.S. Embassy The Hague says the two-day forum promises to promote public discussion by bringing together high-level scientists, policymakers, business persons and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The conference will provide a forum for discussing potential applications of biotechnology and their implications for society, including the potential role of the new technology in alleviating problems of hunger and disease.

"Biotechnology will have a profound impact on all of our lives and we want to help people understand all sides of the issue," said U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Cynthia Schneider.

The conference, entitled "Biotechnology: The Science and the Impact," is organized by the U.S. Embassy in cooperation with the Dutch Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Economic Affairs. The conference can be accessed live at two separate Websites, and questions can be posted through the Internet to the speakers.

Following is the text of the press release:

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U.S. Embassy, The Hague

January 13, 2000

"Biotechnology: the Science and the Impact", U.S. Embassy-sponsored conference

January 20-21, 2000

The Hague, The Netherlands

Public Affairs Section U.S. Embassy The Hague is happy to report that the embassy-sponsored conference, "Biotechnology: The Science and the Impact", will be videocast during the two days, January 20-21, when it is being held here. You can reach the conference's live streaming by accessing via the Internet the following web addresses:

The website will be available directly at

http://www.hdf.nl/biocyber.htm

Or via our conference homepage

http://www.usemb.nl/bioconf.htm

The conference is interactive: questions can be posted through the Internet to the speakers. The Websites will remain up on the Internet for two weeks after the conference.

We would thank you in advance for alerting your contact persons who have an interest in these issues to the availability of Internet access to the proceedings of the conference.

We are proud of this cutting-edge project. At the initiative of U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Cynthia P. Schneider, and sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, this forum promises to promote public discussion by bringing together high-level scientists, policymakers, business persons and representatives of non-governmental organizations. Among other speakers, the conference includes the participation of Ambassador David Aaron, scientist Craig Venter, EU officials, and three Dutch government ministers.

"The Hague Conference will bring together the preeminent leaders in biotechnology in an open forum to discuss the science and applications of this broad reaching topic. Biotechnology will have a profound impact on all of our lives and we want to help people understand all sides of the issue," said Ambassador Schneider.

An updated program of the conference follows:

BIOTECHNOLOGY: THE SCIENCE AND THE IMPACT

January 20-21, 2000

Netherlands Congress Center, The Hague

Thursday, January 20, 2000

08:30-13:00 MORNING SESSION: "THE SCIENCE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY"

Chair, Marc van Montagu, University of Ghent

08:30-08:45 Ambassador Cynthia P. Schneider

Welcome and Introductory Remarks

08:45-09:05 George Poste, Health Technology Networks

"What is Biotechnology?"

09:10-09:30 Chris Somerville, Stanford University

"The Genetic Engineering of Plants"

09:35-09:55 Claire M. Fraser, The Institute for Genomic Research

"Microbial and Plant Genomics"

10:00-10:20 Steven Tanksley, Cornell University

"There is No Such Thing as a 'Natural' Red Tomato"

10:20-10:50 COFFEE BREAK

10:50-11:10 Tony Irvin, International Livestock Research Institute

"Genomics and Livestock: Changing the Face of Animal Agriculture in the Third World"

11:15-11:35 George Hersbach, Pharming, Netherlands

"Animal Biotechnology: New Biopharmaceuticals for Critical Diseases"

11:40-12:00 Susan Mayer, Genewatch UK

"How Safe is Safe: Biotechnology and Risk Assessment"

12:00-12:25 Question and Answer Session with a panel of morning speakers

12:30-14:00 LUNCH SESSION

Chair, Koos N.M. Richelle, D.G., International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Netherlands

Ismail Serageldin, World Bank

"Biotechnology in the Service of the Poor: Challenges and Prospects"

14:30-18:30 AFTERNOON SESSION: "IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIETY"

Co-chairs Juan Enriquez, Harvard University and Eric Claassen, ID-DLO, Netherlands

14:00 Eric Claassen

Introduction

14:10-14:30.Rita Colwell, Director, National Science Foundation

"Biotechnology and the Future of Scientific Research"

14:35-14:55 Jos��Sarukh��, Instituto de Ecolog��, Mexico

"Biotechnology and the Environment"

15:00-15:20 Els Borst, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports, and Deputy Prime Minister, Government of the Netherlands "Biotechnology and Health"

15:25-15:45 Benedikt Haerlin, Greenpeace

"Genetic Engineering vs. Biotechnology: An Organic Vision of Sustainable Agriculture"

15:50-16:20 COFFEE BREAK

16:25-16:45 John Pierce, DuPont Agricultural Enterprise

"Realizing the Promise of Plant and Microbial Biotechnology"

16:50-17:10 Annemarie Jorritsma, Minister of Economic Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Government of the Netherlands "Biotechnology and Economic Development"

17:15-17:35 Jim Murray, BEUC, Brussels

"Biotechnology and the Consumer"

17:40-17:55 Juan Enriquez, Harvard University

Conclusion

18:00-18:30 Panel Q & A with afternoon speakers and Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Department of Agriculture

18:30-20:00 RECEPTION, Crown Plaza Hotel

Friday, January 21, 2000

0830-1300 "THE CHALLENGES"

08:30-08:45 Chair, Sir Robert May, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister of Great Britain, "Introduction"

08:50-09:10 Ambassador David L. Aaron, Under Secretary for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce

09:15-09:35 J. Craig Venter, Celera

"The Human Genome"

09:40-10:00 Jean-Fran��is Mayaux, Aventis Pharma

"Functional Genomics: Impact on Drug Discovery"

10:05-10:25 Matthias Kummer, Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Schweizerischen Wirtschaft, Switzerland "Biotechnology and Public Communication"

10:30-11:00 COFFEE BREAK

11:00-11:20 Noelle Lenoir, French Constitutional Court

"The Ethics of Biotechnology"

11:25-11:45 Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, Minister of Agriculture Government of the Netherlands "Biotechnology - Implications for Agriculture and Society"

11:50 12:10 David Byrne, European Union Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs "Biotechnology and the Public"

12:15-12:45 Panel Q & A with panel of Industry, Consumer, Academic and Government Representatives, including panel speakers:

Alain Laberg��e, Confederation of the Food and Drink Industry of the European Union

David Bowe, Member of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy

John H. Monyo, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

12:45-13:00 Ambassador Cynthia P. Schneider

Conclusion

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