Since the discovery of recombinant DNA technology in the early 1970s, biotechnology
has become an essential tool for many researchers and the underpinning of new industrial
firms. Biotechnology-which has the potential to improve the Nation’s health, food supply,
and the quality of the environment—is viewed by several countries as a key to the marketplace
of the 21st century. In order to understand the potential of biotechnology in a global economy,
it is first necessary to identify current and potential applications of biotechnology, and to learn
how various Nations support and regulate the uses of biotechnology in commerce.