Meredith's Book is Finally Being Published

Brill has finally updated their website:

Biotechnology has the potential to revolutionize genetics, agriculture, public health mechanisms, and environmental management and conservation. Agricultural applications provide the most practical uses of current advances in biotechnology, which have the potential for significant impact if agricultural producers worldwide begin using biotechnology techniques. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) offer significant benefits to global society in the areas of agricultural improvements, environmental management facilitation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development promotion, and increased human health protection.

Serious concerns about GMOs are treated as separate and distinct from other disciplines, although GMOs significantly affect a wide range of fields. Successful regulation of GMOs will require the incorporation of input from other fields, most notably, public health, food safety, international trade, and environmental regulation. Currently, global debate and regulation of GMOs do not include any discussion of public health concerns, particularly those related to infectious disease. Some argue that the pathogens responsible for the recent outbreaks of SARS, BSE, and avian influenza may be the result of genetic modification. These questions challenge the preparedness of global regulatory and legislative regimes for infectious disease and GMOs to address these potential developments. This book examines the current global and regional legal frameworks and perspectives for infectious disease and GMOs and argues for a more connective approach for future regulation.

Meredith Mariani obtained a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School and an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the George Washington University Law School. She completed her undergraduate work at Mount Holyoke College, with a double major in Biology and Anthropology. She wrote articles and memoranda on stem cell legislation, published by the University of Notre Dame Journal of Legislation and the International Center for Technology Assessment. She currently is an independent consultant focusing on biotechnology law and policy.

From the dozens of pages that I edited, all I can tell you about her book is that it involves the law and ducks (but not necessarily in that order). Meredith sent everyone this email:

Finally, my publisher put my book on their website (only 4 months too late) and its apparently cheaper than I originally thought so everyone should be able to afford a copy (or 5). And the cover will have beautiful flowing fields of golden wheat - a lovely addition to the pile of books you use to prop up that pesky table in the basement.

To which I replied: "I guess when you consider the $2.94 per-page cost, it's quite a bargain."

Still, a big congratulations to her. I distinctly remember when the book was just her Law Masters, born out of the most obscure Westlaw search she could think of. Now it's all grown up and ready for college itself.

Quack