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In traditional communities, the knowledge and resources cannot be owned individually. These are communally held. In the case of specialized knowledge, these are held by certain individuals or families who pass it on to their progenies from generation to generation. Some are held by specialists such as shamans or medicine men or women. The practitioners of this knowledge are expected to hold this knowledge on behalf of the community in trust to be used for the welfare of the communities. These are not to be privatized or commoditized.

The issue of making this knowledge into intellectual property so that these can be traded as a commodity has come in for intense debate in recent times. What has come to emerge is that when such knowledge and related biodiversity is commercialized, the prior informed consent of the holders of the knowledge and related resources are to be obtained. The community should also receive a share in the profits from such commercialization. Governments are yet to incorporate these requirements in their respective national laws. However, these have now come to be recognized internationally as desirable principles.

When the biological materials and related knowledge, whether it is microorganisms, plants or animals, are acquired without the explicit prior informed consent of communities, then it is called biopiracy. It is implied that such acts are not ethical or moral. Hoodia gordonii, an African plant from the Kalahari Desert, became world renown for its role as an active appetite suppressant. This knowledge belonged to the San people. The Hoodia gordonii extract became the main ingredient for a number of weight loss products. When the media raked up the issue that neither were the San people acknowledged not were they given a share in the profit, this was soon rectified. There have been similar isolated cases of acknowledgement and benefit sharing as Arogyapacha in India.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international instrument that enunciated prior informed consent, and access and benefit sharing as the principles to guide such commercial exploitation of traditional knowledge. CBD became an international instrument of law in 1993. CBD provided for the right of countries to its genetic resource and knowledge to regulate and control them. The bioprospectors who intend to access these resources and knowledge are to obtain prior informed consent. These accesses are to be controlled and regulated by the respective national governments. All the countries have ratified CBD except for Andorra, Brunei, Somalia, Iraq, and United States.

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Nowadays absolutely every aspect of our lives is online in one way or another. When you begin to think about how much of a reality online life is, it’s not surprising the educational world has made a big leap towards the Internet. Recently there have been a ton of different programs being offered, allowing people to easily further their education with accredited online MBA programs. There are many people that are skeptical of these programs and think they are in some way inferior to a traditional degree from the normal college environment. The fact is that there are tons of great programs available that provide the same degree and certification that a traditional college or university provides. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of these accredited online programs, below is some great information about what to consider.

Something that you should be keeping in your mind when considering online programs is the obvious difference. Of course the biggest difference is the fact that you will not be in a classroom for the majority of time that you are getting your education. However there are many programs that do require you to have some in class time for tasks such as writing exams. For the most part, every aspect of earning your degree or certification will take place in the setting of your choice, whether it’s your office or home. This is of course a huge benefit for so many individuals and is something that has made it possible for many to earn a degree that otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity. This is a huge aspect of the popularity of some of the best distance MBA programs that are currently available.

Another thing that many will be happy to learn is the pricing structure that is implemented by many online degree programs. The majority of them offer many more options in terms of financing and payment for your tuition and fees. This has made it much easier for many people that on are on strict budgets and wouldn’t be able to afford a traditional college program. There are several really excellent, quality and affordable online college programs that make it possible for almost anyone to further their education. If you are interested in these great opportunities, you shouldn’t wait to get the process started and begin educating yourself for the future and the rest of your life.

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