Medicinal Bioprospecting

An informal and simple paper I wrote (not the best example of my formal writing ability), mostly in one sitting, for my 1-credit Ethnobotany class on the commercialization of traditional medicine:

The Pros and Cons of Medicinal Bioprospecting under Environmental, Social, Economic, and Health Perspectives
Medicinal bioprospecting is the act of locating, collecting, and deriving genetic material from the sacred plants of indigenous communities for the use and profit of most often, commercialized pharmaceuticals. This has environmental, social, economic, and health implications, both advantageous and harmful.

The lands in which plants are taken from for medicinal bioprospecting are usually rich in biodiversity; therefore, one must take into serious consideration the issues in dealing with sustainability and environmental justice in relation to the acquisition of such. In order to successfully collect a plant for medicinal bioprospecting, the harvest must be bountiful in its yield and the plant must be suitable for prompt regrowth. If not so, the harvester would be deemed a raider, raping the Earth surrounding the indigenous community, a completely unsustainable and environmentally unjust action. One must be ethical and respectful in wildcrafting their medicine, and without getting into the genetic engineering controversy, it may be an environmentally conscious option to synthesize and replicate the active compounds in a laboratory, so that the majority of the actual, live plant would be undisturbed.

The social impacts of medicinal bioprospecting on indigenous communities are largely significant and multi-faceted. The reapers of the act must ensure an equitable sharing of benefits linked to the utilization of the population’s native plants in order to be socially just. This can include benefits ranging from forms of direct and/or indirect payment, capacity building such as the introducing of schools and other public facilities/services into the community, sharing of research, providing work, endorsing labor rights, etc. Not only must they engage in fair treatment of the indigenous community and their resources by taking the least and giving back the most, they must show the native population due respect and support of the aboriginal, ancient knowledge that they hold within. If there is only selfish gain within this endeavor of medicinal bioprospecting, with no intent of a fair trade, the situation for the indigenous community is in social disdain and subject to biopiracy. It is also questionable on the societal ownership of these native, plant-based medicines. Ownership rights of national governments versus the ownership of local communities versus the humanistic approach that humankind is the sole proprietor of all biodiversity, are open to argument and controversy.

There is a lot of economic gain achieved through the end product of medicinal bioprospecting, as countries such as the United States engaging in the act, are driven by profitable and capitalistic values to sell and market the commercialization. Unfortunately and often enough, greed is the counterpart to this goal of monetary success. What could be coined an “herbal thanksgiving” not with the pilgrims and Native Americans, but with the money-driven exploitation and commercialization of these sacred plants, turning them not into non-invasive, natural products, but into harmful Western medicines. Hence, it is important that the countries involved in medicinal bioprospecting remember where and how they obtained, with hopefully good intentions, the main ingredients of these products and point a great percentage of their economic triumphs to the indigenous communities that deserve it.

Fortunately, the results of medicinal bioprospecting often have a positive effect in public health and medicine. The plants often provide great cures to many ailments and diseases, such as the Rosy Periwinkle’s abet in curing diabetes, malaria, Hodgkin’s disease, and leukemia. Many people are assisted with these findings, as utilitarian philosophy is at the heart of medicinal bioprospecting in reference to health care. It is also vital that the ones doing the hands-on work in medicinal bioprospecting are aware of any concentrations of toxins or pollutants at the sites of harvest with the run-through of safety research testing as to not pass the potential health hazards onto the public. Also, there must be ample research and experimentation before marketing and selling a “drug” to the public sphere, as contamination and an outburst of disease would be detrimental effects to public health. Also must be measured is the mortality of a synthesized Western medicine.

As discussed throughout this writing, medicinal bioprospecting poses both its advantages and pitfalls in environmental, social, economic, and health perspectives. As ethnobotanists around the world discover exciting new medicinal plants and healing herbs, they must live by and promote these provisions of ethical standards to ensure justice within all four angles of vision considered.