Patents based on traditional knowledge are often ‘biopiracy’. A new international treaty will finally combat this

<https://theconversation.com/patents-based-on-traditional-knowledge-are-often-biopiracy-a-new-international-treaty-will-finally-combat-this-231272>

"Last week, at a conference in Geneva, the member states of the World
Intellectual Property Organisation agreed on a new treaty aimed at preventing
the for-profit piracy of traditional knowledge.

So-called “biopiracy”, in which companies lift ideas from traditional knowledge
and patent them, is a significant problem. In one case a US company patented
derivatives of the neem tree as pesticides, when the plant’s properties were
already well known to local communities in India. There have also been attempts
to patent traditionally cultivated plant varieties, such as basmati rice and
jasmine rice.

The main purpose of the new Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources
and Associated Traditional Knowledge is to ensure patent applications disclose
any involvement of traditional knowledge.

At last week’s conference, we contributed advice on the treaty text to the
Indigenous Caucus, member states and advisors, and gave presentations at side
events. The final text of the treaty, while it does contain some compromises,
is an important step for protection of traditional knowledge after 24 years of
deliberation."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics