Experts Support Product-Based Regulatory Approach for GMOs

ISAAA May 28, 2025

Experts from the National University of Asuncion (Universidad Nacional de Asunción) and partners question the traditional notion that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) only result from laboratory-based genetic engineering. The Opinion Article highlights recommendations for updating regulatory frameworks for GMOs.

The experts argue that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a natural and significant evolutionary force in plants and not just a microbial or laboratory phenomenon, making some plants naturally transgenic. Using genome sequencing tools, scientists have identified numerous cases where bacteria, particularly Agrobacterium species, have transferred DNA into plant genomes, leading to naturally occurring GMOs.

The authors say that the distinction between “natural” and “artificial” gene transfer is outdated since nature itself produces transgenic plants. This leads to inconsistencies with process-based regulations, where plants are regulated depending on how a crop was developed. Instead, the authors support a science-based, product-based approach, where regulation focuses on the traits and risks of the final product, regardless of how it was made.

For more information, read the Opinion Article from Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology.