Bioprospecting in Australia - Sound Biopractice or Biopiracy?

In this article the author examines the search for new drugs among plants and other natural products. The uses of the of the smokebush for its therapeutic values by the Aborigines of Western Australia and the naturally occurring compound conocurvone as an anti-AIDS treatment are discussed. A number of topics related to the finding of drugs in the wild are addressed including the issue of indigenous knowledge of plants and natural resources, the problem of assigning intellectual property rights, and the difficulties presented by patent and copyright law.