Community Involvement in Biotechnology Policy?

The authors analyze the framework for public participation in Australian biotechnology policy and argue that participation is undermined by the institutional structures that were ostensibly designed to facilitate consultation. They conclude that for the moment, community consultation in the formulation of Australian biotechnology policy appears limited. Indeed, the Australian Gene Technology Act 2000 and the Gene Technology Community Consultative Committee Operating Procedures effectively exclude the community from participating in deliberations on biotechnology policy. The community continues to be treated as consumers of advice, rather than technological citizens who can make a genuine contribution to biotechnology policy.