New disclosure requirements supported: genetic resources and TD

According to Martin Khor's column in Business Daily (Nairobi), a majority of WTO members are now supporting the proposal to amend the WTO's TRIPS agreement so as to include a disclosure requirement for patent applications relating to genetic resources and traditional knowledge. It would be mandatory for countries to have in their national patent laws a requirement for patent applicants to disclose the countries of origin of biological materials and traditional knowledge used in their inventions, as well as evidence of prior informed consent and benefit sharing arrangements with the countries of origin and relevant local communities.