This knowledge is intellectual property. There is evidence that this community owned knowledge is taken away by the multinational pharmaceutical industry and patented as privately owned intellectual property. There is no provision in the TRIPs Agreement to confer rights and ownership of intellectual property to communities by awarding patents. An alternative suggested is that in these instances intellectual property rights could be awarded as Traditional Resource Rights and recognised as such in national laws and international agreements. This will help developing countries to prevent the indigenous and community knowledge of medicinal plants from being pirated by the uncontrolled profit making interests of multinational drug companies.
Community medicines is an alternative for a significant segment of consumers.
If possible these communities should be granted patents for these drugs and benefit from the development and sale of such. As part of its technical assistance, the WTO should identify and support organisations like the African Intellectual Property Office to disseminate information about its work and liaise with local communities in protecting their access to community and alternative forms of medicine. The TRIPs Agreement allows some flexibility in its implementation. Use compulsory licenses to achieve public health goals. Permit parallel imports of pharmaceuticals.