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Proposes an interpretation of intercultural processes that take place in the exchange of traditional knowledge between ethnic groups and different kinds of agents in modern societies. Guidelines for a regulatory framework protecting vernacular knowledge and simultaneously providing incentives for modern scientific research are suggested. Under this scheme, communities might improve their ability to defend their rights and demand the enforcement of certain rules conditioning the use of traditional knowledge by firms, laboratories, and research institutes. (Original abstract - amended)

Knowledge accumulated for centuries by ethnic communities about their habitat is increasingly being used for commercial purposes in fields such as pharmacy & agriculture. Transnational corporations & research laboratories use knowledge obtained from the analysis of plants & other biological samples provided by ethnic communities, or from the observation of their traditional practices. This paper proposes an interpretation of intercultural processes that take place in the exchange of traditional knowledge between ethnic groups & different kinds of agents in modern societies. The exchange between indigenous communities that possess the knowledge & researchers from universities & transnational corporations willing to develop & exploit that knowledge is marked by a deep information asymmetry. Guidelines for a regulatory framework protecting vernacular knowledge & simultaneously providing incentives for modern scientific research are suggested. Under this scheme, communities might improve their ability to defend their rights & demand the enforcement of certain rules conditioning the use of traditional knowledge by firms, laboratories, & research institutes. At the same time, investment for research in this field would be stimulated. 33 References. Adapted from the source document.