Embrapa requests authorization from Anvisa to begin cannabis research

The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) has made significant progress in an important step towards initiating its cannabis research by submitting a request for authorization to the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). This initiative, although gaining traction now, has been internally discussed by Embrapa since the 1980s. Over the years, the company has consolidated its biotechnology portfolio and is now seeking to align the ideal way to conduct studies with the plant, which has vast medicinal and industrial potential.

To address this strategic topic, a Working Group (GT) was created, composed of 18 researchers from various Embrapa units spread across Brazil. The group was responsible for drafting the request document, which was sent to Anvisa this week and is now awaiting a response. If authorization is granted, Embrapa plans to create a germplasm bank, gathering different cannabis species, with the aim of studying how these varieties adapt to Brazilian climate and soil.

"Research on cannabis is of utmost importance for Brazil, both for its economic potential and for the scientific advancement it can provide, especially in areas such as medicine and sustainable agriculture," says researcher Daniela Bittencourt, a researcher in the area of Genetic Resources and Biotechnology at the company and one of the creators of the research program.

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With the cannabis genetic bank, Embrapa hopes to understand the peculiarities of each variety of the plant, allowing for the development of specific agricultural techniques and the exploration of multiple applications. The expectation is that, with Anvisa's authorization, Brazil can become one of the protagonists in the global cannabis research and development scene, combining innovation and sustainability.