There is a veritable gold rush mentality in the life sciences as scientists, entrepreneurs, and multinationals stake claims to the "code of life" embodied in the world's current stock of plants, animals, microbes, and human populations. This edited volume explores the legal, economic, and political issues underlying the debate about intellectual property rights for traditional knowledge and genetic resources. It critically analyses the theory and practice of access and efforts to share benefits around the world. The book also investigates the current flashpoints: the David and Goliath battle between Monsanto and Percy Schmeiser over farmers' rights; the dispute over the coexistence of GM and organic production; and the ownership and control of human genetic materials stored in human gene banks around the world.

Explores the legal, economic and political context for the debate about intellectual property rights for traditional knowledge and genetic resources Investigates the current flashpoints: the battle between Monsanto and Percy Schmeiser over patented seeds, the dispute over coexistence of GM and organic production; and the ownership and control of human genetic materials Critically analyses the theory and practice of access and benefits sharing efforts around the world

Inhalt
Access and Benefits Sharing in Context.- to the Challenge of Access and Benefit Sharing.- Sharing the Benefits of Inventions, Pgrs and Traditional Knowledge.- Ideology of the Commons and Property Rights: Who Owns Plant Genetic Resources and the Associated Traditional Knowledge?.- Farmers' Privilege and Patented Seeds.- Traditional Knowledge and Benefit Sharing: From Compensation to Transaction.- Biological Resources, Intellectual Property Rights and International Human Rights: Impacts on Indigenous and Local Communities.- Lost in Translation? The Rhetoric of Protecting Indigenous Peoples' Knowledge in International Law and the Omnipresent Reality of Biopiracy.- Implementing Access and Benefits Sharing.- Liability Principles and their Impact on Access and Benefits Sharing.- Beyond the Rhetoric: Population Genetics and Benefit-Sharing.- Bioprocessing Partnerships in Practice: A Decade of Experiences at INBio in Costa Rica.- Access and Benefit Sharing in the New Millennium.- Conclusions: New Paths to Access and Benefit Sharing.