Focus on biopiracy

The Nordic countries have been active for many years in the bioprospecting activities. Today’s rather liberal attitude should be tightened up in the future, particularly if the abuse, known as biopiracy, increases.

Bioprospecting is an activity whereby pharmaceutical companies, for example, collect natural resources, perhaps in fungal form, from another country. The company then produces a new medicine and patents the product. If the patent is granted the country of origin may lose the right to its own genetic natural resource.