Countries Agree to Plans for Sharing Benefits Of Genetic Resources, Preserving Biodiversity

摘要

Representatives from more than 190 nations agreed Oct. 29 to a framework to share the profits generated from the commercial use of genetic materials found in nature as well as to a strategic plan to prevent the loss of global biodiversity.rnThe International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources provided guidance for how benefits that arise from a biological resource-such as pharmaceuticals or cosmetics produced using genetic material from a plant or animal-are to be shared with the countries or communities that conserved a resource. Additionally, the regime addressed questions about pathogens, such as how a developed country may obtain a flu virus to develop a vaccine.rnThe agreement also called on parties to develop a system to compensate a country if benefits arise from genetic material taken from that country years, or even centuries, before the beneficial product is developed.