Anantha Narayana DB* and Sudhakar Johnson T
Objectives: Bio resources are sources for major economies in the world and provide livelihood opportunities for local tribes. Bio resources form part of raw material for herbal products/medicine manufacturing industry. One of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is access and benefit sharing (ABS) arising out of utilization of bio resources. ABS calculation is most debated issue among end user – herbal products / medicine manufacturing industry.
Methods and Results: Mechanisms for ABS computation are still evolving in many nations. In order to remove disparity in ABS calculation and bring in transparency, in this article we have presented three models. In the process, we have developed bio resource sustainability grid to map bio resources based on the i) ease of access, ii) regenerability of resources and iii) sustainability. First model describes calculation of ABS according to cost of bio resources, the second model links to proportion of bio resource with proportion of final formulation and the third model provides a formula which is analogous to Drug Price Control Order.
Conclusion: With increase in use of botanical dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and emerging research in phytopharmaceuticals as drugs the quantum of usage of bio resources will proportionally increase. In addition to usage, conservation of critical bioresources is responsibility of stakeholders. The ABS computation approaches we have presented here can provide transparent ABS computation. The models can be adopted by other nations BDAs either directly or after minor modifications. The purpose of transparency in ABS calculation is served as both the end user and regulator can calculate the ABS payments without debate. Further, it would supplement the cause of sustainable utilization of bioresources while promoting conservation.
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