Brazilian Government Organizations Collide over Biosafety

The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency, Anvisa, has issued a public consultation over the potential risks of genetically modified crops to the human health and the environment. The consultation, which will be open until September 10, comprises 119 questions on four main areas: genetic modification, host organisms, food safety and nutritional quality. These are intended to determine whether the information presented by technology developers guarantees the safety of the GM crop seeking approval. Anvisa has established a Commission for the valuation of biosafety of GM crops and derived products, comprised by members of Anvisa, of the National Institute of Quality Control in Health (INCQS) and of the scientific community.  

However, according to the Brazilian Biosafety Law (nº 11.105/05), the approval of GM crops falls under the mandate of CNTBio, Brazil's National Technical Commission for Biosafety. Officially, Anvisa states that the consultation is an answer to public demand to guarantee the safety of GM crops. But according to Water Colli, president of CNTBio, the call for the public consultation “represents an appropriation of responsibilities” and “interference” by government fractions intended to obstruct the work of the CNTBio. Colli affirms that CNTBio was never informed about the consultation, and that the initiative represents a reaction against two recent victories of CNTBio: the reduction of the quorum for the commercial release of GM crops, and the approval of a herbicide tolerant maize variety.  

What would happen if Anvisa bans a crop approved by CNTBio? According to Colli, the current situation requires the intervention of the government. Anvisa president Cláudio Maierovitch believes the present tension is a natural consequence of the fact that “Ibama and Avisa will always be considered as obstructers of progress. And other sectors, as little cautious”. Ibama is the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources.  

Read more at: http://agenciact.mct.gov.br/index.php?action=/content/view&cod_objeto=45124 http://www.anvisa.gov.br/divulga/noticias/
2007/240707.htmhttp://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/noticias/2007/07/23/materia.2007-07-23.6723525370/view