Question

A patent for "use of turmeric in wound healing " was granted by US patent office, through turmeric has been used in India for centuries this is an example of

• A. Biopatent
• B. Biopiracy
• C. Bioweapon
• D. Bioremediation

Answer 1

The correct option is B Biopiracy

The commercial exploitation or monopolization of biological or genetic material, as medicinal plant extracts, usually without compensating the indigenous peoples or countries from which the material or relevant knowledge is obtained is called as biopiracy. In 1995, the United States awarded patent on turmeric to University of Mississippi medical center for wound healing property. The claimed subject matter was the use of "turmeric powder and its administration", both oral as well as topical, for wound healing. An exclusive right has been granted to sell and distribute. The Indian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) had objected to the patent granted and provided documented evidences of the prior art to USPTO. Though it was a well known fact that the use of turmeric was known in every household since ages in India, it was a herculean task to find published information on the use of turmeric powder through oral as well as topical route for wound healing. Due to extensive researches, 32 references were located in different languages namely Sanskrit, Urdu and Hindi.

So the correct option is 'biopiracy'.