Is the ban on biological copyright a double-edged sword?

Source: an international agreement on boycott of "biological infringement" will come into force on November 15, 2014 in China Science Daily The agreement will benefit from biological products, but there is no corresponding compensation for the party generating the agreement Japan's Nagoya protocol aims to benefit foreign scientists by allowing them to use plants, animals or microorganisms from developing countries A magician in Ecuador is collecting plants to make rattan water, which is at the forefront of biological infringement But some researchers worry that the government will block or hinder some important actions, such as protecting, monitoring and treating infectious diseases The Nagoya protocol, signed four years ago, came into force on October 12 this year It has 92 countries and regions including Brazil, Japan and the European Union Countries that did not sign up included China and the United States, although researchers in those countries were required to comply with the relevant laws when collecting samples -- as part of the United Nations biodiversity Conference (CBD), the Nagoya protocol sets out to ensure "fair and equal benefit sharing" in the use of genetic resources, which cover all organic matters Researchers must obtain permission to collect samples in some countries, and they must conduct "benefit sharing" (ABS) The protocol stipulates who will benefit from the microorganisms used and how, for example, through joint publishing, or sharing interests at the product level of drugs, vaccines, crops and so on, ensuring the fair distribution of interests Braulio de Souza DIAS, executive secretary of the CBD Secretariat, said several compelling cases had shown the merits of the protocol A case often used as a successful defense against biological infringement is the withdrawal of European patents on antifungal agents extracted from neem trees after a long legal battle Because neem is an evergreen plant native to India, Indian farmers have been using the antifungal agent for decades Other controversies involved a U.S patent for the use of turmeric for wound healing, which was later withdrawn, and a patent for the use of the roots of a South American vine to make a hallucinogenic beverage, dead rattan water, which has also lapsed There is another thing that can prove the advantages of the protocol In 2007, Indonesia hesitated to share research samples on avian influenza infection with who on the grounds that the country would not benefit from any relevant documents or patents Dias said that in fact, many foreign scientists advocate benefiting from the protocol, because it can help build trust between scientists and local people, so that they have better access to organic samples In the past, "no one trusted anyone," he said The protocol can also help a country get treatment from samples of its own diseases However, although scientists understand the usefulness of the ABS treaty, many people are worried about the devastating results of the date The Wellcome foundation, a biomedical research charity in London, UK, believes that the protocol has the potential to hinder disease surveillance and that these red headed documents will make it difficult for countries to share samples quickly, which may undermine the achievements of scientists in drug-resistant malaria surveillance or coliform outbreaks "There is a need for fair sharing of benefits, but it is also crucial to ensure that these international cooperation are not impeded, as they are essential for the protection of global health." David Carr, a policy adviser at the Wellcome foundation, said The new rules could also challenge the work of synthetic biologists, who need to code, make drugs or sensors with many different organic compounds At this time, a product may need ABS to make dozens of adjustments He added that such red tape would allow European companies to move abroad, especially in the United States, where there are no contracts If its members are to work under different legal frameworks, international cooperative research will also face these red tape challenges, the British Biological Industry Association said In addition, the scope of the protocol is uncertain, especially for gene sequencing The rules can be read as follows: anyone who uses genetic data must comply with the ABS rules Christopher lyal, who studies the weevil at the London Museum of nature, is also helping manage the CBD's website for advice on the Nagoya protocol But even he didn't understand how the protocol would affect him "If I compare two sequences and identify one result, is it available? I don't know " The British biological industry association also believes that if it fails to comply with the provisions of the protocol, it will face criminal charges The British government is considering increasing the sentence to two years, which is undoubtedly a deadly refrigerant for scientific research Some researchers believe that the protocol may harm countries that intend to help Kazuo Watanabe, director of the gene research center of Tsukuba University in Japan, worries that these red headed documents around the access and exchange of samples will hinder scientific research development in fields such as taxonomy and ecology at the institutional level At the same time, it will make protection more difficult Dais admitted that there were still problems with the protocol, but said he still wanted to be positive about the regulations "There will certainly be a cost in the transition phase, but it should be better in the future." ELISA morgera, a global environmental law expert at the University of Edinburgh, agrees She said that there were indeed many uncertainties in the protocol in the short term due to "difficulties in negotiation or possible mistakes", but it also provided a way to rebuild trust "The protocol will make a constructive contribution to those who really want to survive in the long run, to build a better reputation through biological research and to conduct innovative research." She said