Biopiracy is a term used to describe the largely legal practice by large multinational pharmaceutical companies of exploiting the medicine of traditional peoples.
Many active drugs have been derived from plants used throughout history by healers in different cultures. There is a lot to be learned from traditional medicine but some companies may be going too far. Instead of working with organisations in the country in which a traditional remedy is being investigate, some companies are adopting a hit and run tactic of taking away the plant or substances for investigation. If promising results are obtained, nothing is being put back into the traditional community.
Many people think this is wrong and that large companies should work with traditional healers and the governments and other organisations in the country of origin and that some of the profits should be given back to the people who discovered the treatment in the first place.
Many active drugs have been derived from plants used throughout history by healers in different cultures. There is a lot to be learned from traditional medicine but some companies may be going too far. Instead of working with organisations in the country in which a traditional remedy is being investigate, some companies are adopting a hit and run tactic of taking away the plant or substances for investigation. If promising results are obtained, nothing is being put back into the traditional community.
Many people think this is wrong and that large companies should work with traditional healers and the governments and other organisations in the country of origin and that some of the profits should be given back to the people who discovered the treatment in the first place.
