ABSTRACT
Traditional Medical Knowledge (TMK), simply defined, is an aspect of medicinal practice that relies on herbal remedies and other concoctions derived out of nature, as well as – in some instances – on sacred rituals in the treatment of body ailments. This chapter examines the practice of TMK before the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, then addresses the rise of the pharmaceutical industry and the marginalization of TMK, especially in the developed world as the need for patent protection grew. Flora and fauna have always played a central role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. The Lockean theory clearly supports the pharmaceutical industry in establishing patent protection over modern medicines. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that in most nonindustrialized countries, the majority of the population – between 80 and 90 percent – still relies on traditional forms of medicine for their everyday health care.
