Biological and Social Issues in Biotechnology Sharing

This text aims to present a comprehensive summary of both the global as well as institutional issues which are involved in transferring biotechnology. It covers the controversial subject of intellectual property rights (IPR) and the patenting of new discoveries in relation to genetic knowledge in both agriculture and the human genome. One controversial issue is the creation of public and private DNA sequencing databases. Of particular interest is the sharing of biotechnology between the developed (rich) and developing (poor) nations. A related topic which is given attention is the exploitation of biodiversity in the developing countries and the resulting extinction of rare species. The book closes with a discussion of ethical issues involved in sharing or transferring biotechnology either between institutions or among countries.