"The production of medicines, pharmaceutical and herbal, involves the sourcing of both genetic resources in the natural environment, and local knowledge. Sourcing substances for medicines in the natural environment is known as biodiversity prospecting or 'bioprospecting'. To insure that benefits resulting from medicinal bioprospecting are brought to those ultimately bearing the costs of conservation and sustainable use, there must be a focus on indigenous peoples' rights--particularly property rights, whether to land, genetic material, intellectual property, or traditional medicinal knowledge."--P. [4] of cover.

Revised version of the author's thesis (doctoral)--European University Institute, 2006.

Biodiversity conservation > Law and legislation.

Pharmacognosy > Government policy.

Indigenous peoples > Legal status, laws, etc.

Germplasm resources > Developing countries.

Natural resources > Developing countries.

Traditional ecological knowledge > Law and legislation.