Executive Summary

United Nations adopts global guidelines on genetic resources recommending companies pay countries for the right to harvest local ingredients used for making fragrances and drugs, UN announces April 19. Guidelines aim to improve ways foreign companies "gain access to valuable genetic resources in return for sharing the benefits with the countries of origin and with local and indigenous communities," UN says. Benefits include profits, royalties, scientific collaboration and training, organization adds. Guidelines, adopted during Convention on Biological Diversity in the Netherlands April 8-26, were developed in response to concerns from developing countries that commercial and scientific gains were benefiting only foreign-based companies, UN adds...