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The Philippines has accused the US of being the world’s worst perpetrator of
“biopiracy” and has called on other countries to step up the fight against the
patenting of drugs based on plants or animals traditionally used by local people
for medicines. At an international conference last week, Asian environmental
groups accused the US of “stealing the natural wealth” of less developed
countries, and deplored its refusal to sign the UN Convention on Biological
Biodiversity. The Philippines’ Environment Secretary, Heherson Alvarez, promised
that his government would push for penalties for biopiracy.