Jottings on science, religion, technology, pop culture and faith from the Antipodes.

Bioethics/Biotech

Pacific genes & life patents

Pacifice Genes

Today I’ve been reading bits of Pacific Genes & Life Patents which is a collection of papers looking at bioethics, biotechnology and genetics from Pacific and Oceanian perspectives. The articles aren’t always ‘polished’ but they convey a deep passion about the issues being faced and the need to Pacific voices to be heard in the face of Western technological and economic agendas. The material on biopiracy (and to a lesser extent bioprospecting) is alarming, to say the least.

The full reference to the book is:

Mead, Aroha Te Pareake, Steven Ratuva, Call of the Earth Llamado de la Tierra (Organization), and Institute of Advanced Studies. Pacific Genes & Life Patents : Pacific Indigenous Experiences & Analysis of the Commodification & Ownership of Life. Wellington, N.Z. ; Yokohama, Japan: Call of the Earth Llamado de la Tierra and the United Nations University of Advanced Studies, 2007.

And there are more details at Call of the Earth – Publications as well as a downloadable copy of the book (for free).