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Historically, the protection of living organisms through patents has been developed in the United States and Europe. Abandoning a then conservative position, the US Supreme Court validated a patent on a genetically modified (GM) bacterium in 1980 [1]. This institution defined the micro-organism as a « composition of matter », opening up the field of patentability of living […]

For the time being, digital sequence information allows certain stakeholders, including companies, to use digitalized sequences without needing the prior consent of the states and communities connected with this biodiversity. Discussions are underway in order to regulate – or not – practices which contravene the Convention on Biological Diversity. Countries allowing free access to the […]

  What does the expression “genetic resource” really mean ? Of course, the word “genetic” is well-known and refers to the genome of living beings : their DNA or genetic “material”, but is this its present-day meaning ? And what about the addition of the word “resources” ? There is also the mention of the « digitalization of genetic resources” […]

  If free access to « digital sequence information » (DSI) of living organisms were to be unconditional, it would come up against the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits generated by the use of any physical genetic resource. Because this sharing of physical genetic resources is actually taking place within a framework of existing international […]

If cases of biopiracy of living organisms based on digital sequence information (DSI) are not frequent for the moment, Inf’OGM is aiming to show that they are not just figments of the imagination. Without a strong reaction from the international community, the two examples presented here (the Ebola virus in West Africa and a GM […]

The conditions to the access and use of information recorded in databases are the subject of fierce international debate. For some, it is a question of « protecting » their national resources and biodiversity, and for others one of « avoiding » current regulations. The ability to patent living organisms on a massive scale is a key issue that […]

Companies, farmer organizations and researchers are all presently immersed in a digital society. Whether desired or not, one of the major agricultural and environmental debates stirring international bodies is that of « digital sequence information ». The stakeholders are each and all expressing their particular positions in the course of these negotiations. While the digital management of […]

  Ever since the 1992 convention on biological diversity, “genetic resources” have been under state sovereignty. On signing this convention the poorer countries of the world were able to state that “although industrially poor, we do at least have “green gold” : our biodiversity”. A variety of international texts subsequently guaranteed the exploitation of this wealth […]

Words, by guiding our thoughts, guide our actions. In the field of biotechnology, it is essential to be aware of unstated intentions. Other peoples’ language, whether accepted or used without a critical eye, may force our consent. Somewhere between self-confirming statements (tautology), false logic (sophism) and authoritative arguments (rhetoric) the following cases of discursive strategy […]