The Four-Sided Triangle of Ethics in Bioprospecting: Pharmaceutical Business, International Politics, Socio-Environmental Responsibility and the Importance of Local Stakeholders

Abstract

Bioprospecting, a vital step in the pharmaceutical production process, is also one of the most controversial and socially complex aspects in the pharmaceutical industry. The current conceptual paper reviews and theorizes this controversial sector by laying out the key elements of social, political and economic conflict involved in bioprospecting, from the point of view of the diverse stakeholders involved in the activity. First, we discuss the bioprospecting phenomenon as a high-risk, initial-stage research and development (R&D) activity that involves ethical, legal and economic uncertainties. After describing these uncertainties, we show how they are exacerbated by the unique cognitive frames that the main actors in this area -private companies, socia actors, government and local activists, and environmental l communities -surrounding and rights norms, motives, the use in framing bioprospecting. Juxtaposing actors in this way allows an opening for potential dialogue among the different stakeholders, and we follow our exposition by sketching a model for increased cooperation. Our model highlights the unique contributions of each actor, suggesting that a socially responsible form of natural resource use can promote both local and global benefits. Lastly, we discuss how bioprospecting can be utilized as a key tool in ethnobiological conservation efforts by aiding local stakeholders in the creation of economic value for their traditional knowledge and environmental assets.

Trends in Medicinal Uses of Edible Wild Vertebrates in Brazil

“…Natural resources play an essential role in health care in traditional medical systems, as well as in bioprospecting for new drugs [ 49 , 50 ], and the interest in animal-based products has raised [ 49 , 51 , 52 ]. Hence, despite the available information on the chemical components and actions of some of these products, studies on fauna traditional uses still are potentially very important to shed light on several aspects of their therapeutic applications [ 53 ].…”

Criteria for the selection, evaluation and application of traditional knowledge in contemporary health practice, education, research and policy: A systematic review

“…Such a suggestion is implied even outside of explicit bioprospecting studies—which seek to develop commercial products through exploration of natural resources (Mateo et al, 2001)—as the interventions selected in our reviewed articles were commonly assessed against pre‐clinical scientific research. While there is a long history of TK being utilised as a source for pharmaceutical drug discovery, it is important to distinguish between integral TK use and drug‐discovery as there are a number of practical and ethical considerations that conflict with bioprospecting approaches (Castree, 2003; Rose et al, 2012). Our review shows evidence that pre‐clinical approaches to TK have not progressed much beyond earlier bioprospecting for pharmaceutical drug discovery.…”

The origin story of rapamycin: systemic bias in biomedical research and cold war politics

“…Furthermore, METEI was established as an international government expedition with no corporate sponsors. Moreover, the concept of bioprospecting (or biopiracy as it has sometimes been dubbed) typically concerns commercialization of resources already recognized by an indigenous people, for example, the use of medicinal plants ( Rose et al. , 2012 ; Girard et al.…”

“…Thus it is unclear whether financial resources targeted for the Rapanui would even make it to the island. Importantly, a shift in behavior of pharmaceutical companies is taking place as some have pledged to contribute more to improving conditions in underserved regions in the world and to adhere to UN treaties regarding bioprospecting ( Rose et al. , 2012 ; Girard et al.…”