Brazil opens way for GMO crops, stem cell research

Brazil’s lower house passed in a final vote on Wednesday a Biosafety Law expected to clear the way for the sale of genetically modified (GMO) crops and for research into human embryonic stem cells.

The controversial legislation that defines the regulatory framework for use of GMO crops and foods and therapeutic use for stem cell research on frozen human embryos now goes to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be signed into law.

The law has been a battleground over which religious, environment and consumer groups have faced off against scientists, farmers and patients pushing for medical research into life-threatening diseases such as muscular dystrophy.

The legislation is seen as atypically liberal for a predominantly Catholic country, but public debate in other areas such as gay marriage and limited forms of abortion have been simmering in local media and political forums.

The law will open the way for stem cell research on human embryos that have been frozen for more than 3 years and are thus considered incapable of surviving.

“In England, not long ago, 5000 embryos were destroyed that had been frozen for many years. Nobody wanted them. Wouldn’t it be better to use them for research?” researcher Mayana Zatz, at the University of Sao Paulo asked.

Over the last decade, environment and consumer groups have successfully won in the courts against biotech seed companies, the scientific community, farming interests and even the government, thus keeping Brazil the world’s largest food exporter still to ban GMOs.

The new law should mark an end to this distinction, but legal challenges of the constitutionality of the law from groups such as Greenpeace are not out of the question.

Leaders in the agricultural sector, however, are confident this will lead rapidly to the end of the ban on GMO soy at least.

“The ban on GMOs has deprived Brazil of certain advantages that have long been enjoyed by our competitors such as the United States and Argentina,” the world’s leading two growers of GMO soy, said Ivo Carraro, executive director of Brazil’s farm research cooperative Codetec.

The law strengthens the power of the National Technical Committee on Biotechnology to approve applications by biotech companies such as Monsanto Co. to sell GMO crops in Brazil.

GMO soybeans, specifically Monsanto’s Roundup Ready soy technology, are expected to obtain approval for sale in Brazil first and clearance for other crops such as corn and cotton are seen following.

A final rubber stamp by a committee of government ministries will be required before release of GMO products on to the market. 

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