ABSTRACT
Bioprospecting has had a bumpy ride over the last twenty years. High expectations for bioprospecting peaked in 1991 when Costa Rica’s INBio program reached a signature deal with Merck Pharmaceuticals. But hopes have waned as bioprospecting has yielded few promising compounds and little in the way of conservation benefits. This paper examines the potential for bioprospecting to contribute to conservation efforts, both broadly and within the specific context of Panama. Today, global markets for bioprospecting services stand at an estimated $60 million per year. A new model for bioprospecting, exemplified by Panama’s ICBG project, may be emerging, one that takes a more business-oriented approach to finding drugs. By using ecological insights to guide sample collection, monetizing compounds earlier, and leveraging institutional clout, ICBG Panama may be increasing its odds of scientific success and contributing to conservation in non-monetary ways. I argue that in addition, ICBG Panama, its funders, and other 220bioprospectors must increase the scale of their operations if they are to create sustainable entities in the Darwinian world of drug discovery. Finally, I make specific policy recommendations for improving the supply and demand of bioprospecting in Panama and globally. doi:10.1300/J091 v25n03_01 [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1 -800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <https://docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: <https://www.Hyperlinkreferencenotvalid.> © 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
