This document compiles the proceedings of the International Workshop on Regulatory Advances in Gene Editing in the Americas, celebrated in Medellín, Colombia, from May 12 to 15, 2026. It aggregates expert presentations covering two decades of history and strategic pillars of IICA's Hemispheric Program on Biotechnology and Biosafety (PHBB), the technical foundations of gene editing (including CRISPR-Cas9, base editors, prime editing, and bridge technology), and national regulatory frameworks across the Americas. Furthermore, it explores public and private sector applications aimed at improving tropical crops, livestock, and aquaculture. The regional consensus highlights a science-based, case-by-case assessment that distinguishes gene-edited products lacking stable foreign DNA from traditional living modified organisms (LMOs), managing them under conventional product frameworks to foster safe technological innovation and prevent international trade disruptions.
