“The vast majority of work with GMOs in contained use is inherently safe,” says the HSE. “This is because most work involves the insertion of genes into micro-organisms that have been deliberately ‘crippled’ with disabling mutations so that they will not grow outside of the controlled environment of a laboratory test tube. Safety is thus built into the experimental design. However, a small number of activities involve genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) that are not disabled and still capable of growth outside of the laboratory. It is, therefore, very important to assess the risks of all activities and make sure that any necessary controls are put in place to protect people and the environment.”