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VOL. 67 (1) 2001 BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL PRODUCTS

Modern times have seen globalization of all human endeavors
accompanied by a seamless, sans frontiers, diffusion of culture, ideas and
science across traditional boundaries of territories, cultures and societies.
However, all societies are not at the same level of development and a sig-
nificant challenge still lies in respecting and harnessing our differences to
insure peace, justice and liberty for all.

For example, within the context of the life sciences a man-made
medicinal agent should receive special, international attention. Any com-
pound that can help restore lost health or prevent a disease should be
made available to all countries, regardless of the continental location or
the degree of societal development. The only limits that should exist are
those which are organizational, linked to preparation, distribution, etc.

Presently there are countries which are the discoverers of medici-
nal agents and there are countries which are simply consumers. Likewise,
there are countries whose legislation pertaining to intellectual property
rights are quite sophisticated while there are others who do not have this
type of legislation at all. Some countries are in search of development
with an overabundance of natural resources and biodiversity while others
have the potential for scientific and technological exploitation but lack
such resources. In this wide panorama, the field of chemistry can play an
important role since medicinal agents are chemical products which, in
many cases, are often modified if not entirely prepared by chemical reac-
tions. Likewise, biodiversity is attributable to chemical constituents of
plants with an array of complex structures, many of which have not yet
succumbed to total, practical syntheses by man. To lose biodiversity is to
lose information of great potential value.

This article intends to refine and further promote ideas proposed
during earlier projects of the IUPAC Medicinal Chemistry section (1-3).
Specifically, the authors seek to enhance the transfer of science and tech-
nology associated with drug discovery and development between devel-
oped and developing societies in the most mutually beneficial scenarios
possible.

Inverting The Model

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