AgroPages-ANVISA to reassess glyphosate risk in Brazil‏-Agricultural news

ANVISA to reassess glyphosate risk in Brazil‏

Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) announced officially that it will reassess the glyphosate risk in the country. The measure was motivated by an article published at "The Lancet" magazine in March of this year by the International Association for Cancer Research. The article classified the carcinogenicity of five agrochemicals: tetrachlorvinphos, parathion, malathion, diazinon and glyphosate.

Facing this recent glyphosate classification, Anvisa will give immediate continuity to the analysis of this active ingredient, following the determination of the 2002 Decree No 4074 that mandates ”to promote the reassessments of agrochemicals registration as well as its components and similar items when evidences of risks appear and force to discourage the use of registered products and when the country is alerted in this sense by international organizations," the agency says in an official statement.

However, Anvisa highlights that "so far, the classification by the International Association for Cancer Research of the agrochemicals was just mentioned by The Lancet magazine article, so it is necessary to await for the publication of the monograph of each active ingredient, in which the details of evaluation studies and results used as basis for the classification adopted can evaluated and used at the reevaluation of these agrochemicals".

Anvisa says that its toxicological evaluation uses the following administrative procedures: "initiative of reevaluation of active ingredients through the publication of a Collegiate Board Resolution; introduction of toxicological studies on agrochemicals under evaluation; analysis of the data and published scientific studies; partnership with technical and scientifically recognized institution in toxicology area without conflict of interest; technical note published for public consultation; consolidation of public consultation contributions; discussion of the findings and suggestions of referrals by the revaluation committee composed of Anvisa workers with representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply and the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Resources; development of conclusive technical note on toxicological aspects evaluated and publication of the final revaluation decision by the CBR".