Biopiracy

Biopiracy is a politicized term for the appropriation of biological resources and knowledge of these resources for purposes that do not meet the approval or have the consent of groups or individuals who have some prior claim to the resources or knowledge. In some cases, this appropriation refers to extraction and use only, but the term is also applied to patenting without equitable sharing of benefits. This entry discusses the origins of the term biopiracy, the roles of researchers, examples of biopiracy cases, and the relationship of biopiracy to international policy.

The Charge of Biopiracy

The biological resources at stake in biopiracy cases have included varieties of food plants, both wild and cultivated, as well as medicinal plants. The charge of biopiracy can also be applied to ...

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