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August/September 2017 Volume 21, Number 3 R&D News.................. 1
How to Measure pH In Protein-Containing Samples Page 9
Benefits of Highly Flexible Biopharma Facilities Page 11
Appointments............. 8 Pharma Notes........... 15 New Products........... 16 App Reviews.............. 18
Transparency, tracking sought in sale of GM salmon in Canada Unlike in several other countries, the Canadian government does not require that GM foods sold in the country to be labelled as such modified salmon without knowing it? When reports of the presence of GM salmon in Canada surfaced over the August long weekend, several major supermarket chains were quick to say that they were not selling the product. Among those stores were Costco, Loblaws, Metro, Pete’s Fine Foods, and Sobeys.
Unlike in several other countries, the Canadian government does not require that GM foods sold in the country to be labelled as such. MP Pierre Luc Dusseault of the New Democratic Party tabled a bill that would have amended the Food and Drugs Act, however, his private member’s bill calling for the labelling of GM foods was rejected by the House of Commons in May. AquaBounty has labeled its genetically modified salmon, AquAdvantage Salmon. “No one except AquaBounty knows where the GM salmon are,” said Lucy Sharratt of CBAN. “The company did not disclose where Continued on page 3
Genomics project looks to reduce adverse drug reactions in children A few weeks ago, Canada became the very first place in the world where genetically modified fish was being marketed – and not a lot of Canadians were even aware of it. And therein lies the problem with the near-stealth way that about five tons of GM Atlantic salmon fillets from the U.S. aqua culture company AquaBounty ended up in still unknown Canadian stores. “This is the world’s first sale of
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GM fish for human consumption and it has occurred without GM product labelling for Canadian consumers,” according to the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, a group that monitors issues relating to genetically engineered foods. The group said information about the sale of GM salmon in Canada was revealed in the company’s quarterly financial report. Could you have eaten genetically
Pharmacogenomics will be used to predict a patient’s risk of developing an ADR Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute have partnered with health and wellness company Dynacare, to find solutions to reduce severe adverse drug reactions (ADR) in children. This joint project, which received $3 million in funding through Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) and Genome British Columbia, will work toward integrating pediatric pharmacogenomic testing into the Canadian health care system. Pharmacogenomics – the science of how an individual patient’s genetic makeup impacts his or her response to medication – will be used to predict a patient’s risk of
developing an ADR. Modern medicine has revolutionized healthcare and made a significant impact on patient longevity and quality of life. Unfortunately, many medications can also cause unintended side effects. “Our overarching goal is to reduce and prevent ADRs – especially in vulnerable patient populations such as children,” said the project’s co-lead, Dr. Bruce Carleton, director of the Pharmaceutical Outcomes Program at BC Children’s Hospital and Professor & Division Head of Translational Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine at UBC. Laboratory testing provided by Continued on page 3