ABSTRACT
A biossegurança é o conjunto de ações voltadas para a prevenção, minimização ou eliminação de riscos que possam comprometer a saúde do homem e dos animais e o meio ambiente. Os primeiros debates sobre a biossegurança tiveram início na década de 1970, devido a preocupações com a segurança nos espaços laboratoriais e com as consequências que os constantes avanços tecnológicos na área de engenharia genética poderiam significar para o homem, bem como para os sistemas ecológicos. No Brasil, a regulamentação para atividades relacionadas a essas áreas teve início em 1995, com a criação da Comissão Técnica Nacional de Biossegurança. Suas funções são fiscalizar a manipulação de organismos geneticamente modificados (OGM) e certificar a segurança dos espaços laboratoriais. Este trabalho tem como finalidade disseminar os conceitos de biossegurança e proporcionar informações que auxiliarão na segurança do homem e do meio ambiente em aspectos relacionados às atividades de pesquisa, produção, ensino, desenvolvimento tecnológico e prestação de serviços.
Biosafety is a set of actions directed to the prevention, minimization or elimination of risks that could jeopardize the human's and animal's health and of the environment. The first debates about biosafety were held in the early 1970's due to the outbreak of transmissible diseases and to the concern to the safety in laboratory arenas. In Brazil, the regulations to activities related to these areas began in 1995 with the formation of the National Technical Biosafety whose functions are the inspection of the manipulated Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and of the laboratory arena safety. This review describes the biosafety concepts and their applicability known in order to improve the human safety as well as the environment in related issues to the research activities, production, teaching, technological development and given service.
Subject(s)
Containment of Biohazards/methods , Containment of Biohazards/standards , Containment of Biohazards/trends , Organisms, Genetically ModifiedABSTRACT
Genetic engineering and the food derived from genetically modified crops (GMCs) have been the center of debate worldwide, as has occurred historically with the advent of new technologies. Questions are derived from the potential impact of GMCs to the environment and the safety of the products to the consumers. In relation to the first inquiry, practice has been oriented to a case-by-case-study, according to the own characteristics of the GMC, in order to minimize its impact in the environment. Scientific studies in diverse latitudes of the world have demonstrated that GMCs in the market showed no adverse effects related to this issue. In relation to food derived from the GMCs, rigorous evaluation protocols have been developed and approved by FAO and WHO to guarantee the innocuousness of these products. Up to the moment, no contraindications for human health have been pointed out for the products that are available today in the market. In the particular case of Costa Rica, the country has established since the 90s a regulatory biosafety framework for the management of the GMCs, safeguarding the biodiversity of the country and the health of consumers. At the same time the country has made significant public and private investments in the field that allowed the country to obtain a leading position in biosafety in the region and genetic engineering research at national research centers. Any attempt to restrict or prohibit these activities in the country, will put in risk the previously described investment, will affect the generation of new knowledge for decision making and the leadership in the field, preventing the benefits derived from this promising technology.
Subject(s)
Humans , Food, Genetically Modified , Risk Assessment/methods , Consumer Product Safety/standards , Public Health , Food, Genetically Modified/adverse effects , Costa Rica , Risk Factors , Consumer Product Safety/legislation & jurisprudenceABSTRACT
El objetivo del presente trabajo es cuestionar las falsas promesas hechas por la industria de la ingeniería genética agrícola, al prometer que los cultivos producidos mediante esta tecnología generarían una agricultura menos dependendiente en insumos químicos, aumentarían la productividad y ayudarían a reducir los problemas ambientales. Este artículo también analiza las críticas ambientalistas a la biotecnología, expresadas en la preocupación por sus efectos sobre las condiciones sociales y económicas, y los valores culturales, religiosos y morales de las diferentes culturas, que han sido ignorados reiteradamente en el desarrollo tecnológico de los OvGM. El autor concluye afirmando que ha llegado el momento de enfrentar socialmente el reto y la realidad de la ingeniería genética. Las compañías de biotecnología deben sentir el impacto de los movimientos ambientalistas, laborales y campesinos, de modo que reorienten su trabajo para el beneficio de toda la sociedad y de la naturaleza.
The goal of this report is to put into question the false promises that agroindustry has made about genetic engineering in agriculture. They have promised that the transgenic crops should generate agriculture less dependent of chemical supplies, it should increase the productivity and it would help to reduce the environmental problems. On the other hand, this paper analyzes the environmentalist criticism to the biotechnology, specially the deep worry about the social, economic moral, religious, and cultural effects or values that have been ignored in the biotechnological development of the agrobiotechnology. The author concludes starting that it has arrived the social moment to challenge the reality of genetic engineering. The biotechnology companies must feel the impact of environmentalist, labor and rural movements, so that they may reorient their work for the benefit of society and nature.
O objetivo do presente trabalho é questionar as falsas promessas feitos pela indústria da engenharia genética agrícola, ao prometer que os cultivos produzidos mediante esta tecnologia gerariam uma agricultura menos dependente de insumos químicos, aumentariam a produtividade e ajudariam a reduzir os problemas ambientais. Este artigo também analisa as críticas ambientalistas à biotecnologia, expressas na preocupação por seus efeitos sobre as condições sociais e econômicas, e os valores culturais, religiosos e morais das diferentes culturas, que foram ignorados sistematicamente no desenvolvimento tecnológico dos OGMs. O autor conclui afirmando que chegou o momento de enfrentar socialmente o desafio e a realidade da engenharia genética. As empresas de biotecnologia devem sentir o impacto dos movimentos ambientalistas, laborais e rurais, de modo que reorietem seu trabalho para o benefício de toda a sociedade e da natureza.