Guía y propuesta de mejora de la implementación del Protocolo de Nagoya en la investigación genética sin fines de lucro en Argentina

Abstract

Access to genetic information in Argentina is regulated by Resolution No. 410/19 of the National authority of Environment and Sustainable Development. This regulation implements the Nagoya Protocol (NP), which is a legal instrument aimed at ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. Genetic studies with no commercial purposes bring multiple benefits to society. However, such studies are negatively affected by the way the NP has been implemented in our country. Therefore, we believe that this implementation needs to be improved. We present a practical guide to conduct genetic research for purely academic purposes in Argentina in accordance with Res. No. 410/19, and propose actions to improve and streamline the implementation of the NP. Specifically, we propose: 1) excluding research on wild organisms and non-profit projects from this regime; 2) simplifying procedures to obtain the Certificate of Compliance, eliminating the need for institutional endorsements and ensuring achieving scientific objectives without temporal limits; 3) considering Collection/Research Permits as access permits; and 4) establishing a standardized system for benefit-sharing across all jurisdictions for projects that evolved into profit-driven activities or require negotiation of non- economic benefits.