I received the following bulletin dated 15 August, through Nga
Kaiwhakanekeneke News Service, originating from the PNG National Niuswire
service. As I have not noticed any media surrounding this outrageous
development, and given the testimony of indigenous representatives last
week at the US National Academy of Sciences Committee to try and dissuade
the US government from funding the HGDP, I thought it timely to re-post
it. Feel free to issue press releases in your own communities, nations.
PNG PRESS RELEASE - Status: Unabridged
PORT MORSEBY: The United States Congress has passed a law allowing the
Papua New Guinea Government to claim patent rights on behalf of the
Hagahai people over the controversial Hagahai cell line. The enabling
legislation is called the National Technolohy transfer and Advancement
Act of 1996 passed in March of this year and communicated to the PNG
Government in May by the US Embassy.
The Congress' directive has given the US National Institute of Health,
the premier medical body that coordinates such research of its scientific
outfits and research personnel working worldwide, new flexibility to
effectively deal with the Hagahai saga. The Congress also urged the PNG
Institute of Medicl Research (IMR) to work closely with the PNG government
to set up an appropriate trust or other body in PNG to take charge of
those responsibilities.
Both the IMR Director, Dr Michael Alpers, and his senior research fellow
Jenkins, have been informed of the Congressional directive. It is
understood that PNG Attorney-General Sao Gabi and Foreign Affairs & Trade
Secretary, Gabriell Dusava have also been notified.
Inter-departmental arrangements are being implemented immediately to
incorporate a Trustee to assume the Hagahai right of the cell line.
However one consequence of the Congressional directive is that the PNG
government is expected to pay out nearly $US6,000 (K7,790) between
September 1998 and September 2006 for demanding the reassigning of the
cell line rights for its Hagahai citizens.
This fee is a maintenance fee and is payable to the US Patent and
Trademarks Office (USPTO) for their safe-keeping of the cell line.
This new development surrounding the Hagahai controversy comes amidst a
mountain of domestic, regional and international publicity and debate
critical of the medical and scientific practices of the US government.
Already the European parliament has outlawed the patenting of bio-medical
discovereies through genetic engineering.
ENDS
Aroha Te Pareake Mead
DForeign Policy Convenor, Maori Congress
P.O. Box 13-177
Johnsonville, Wellington
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Aroha-Tel: +64-4-479-7781 Fax: +64-4-494-7106