The Rio convention destroyed it. Fenical said it had taken him four years to get further access to an Australian coral that contains what appears to be a potent cancer-fighting chemical. He also said he had negotiated for two years for a permit to sample marine organisms in the Philippines, to look for chemicals toxic to cancer cells. The Philippines in 1995 became the first country to enact a law in response to the biodiversity convention. It requires compensation and collaboration with local scientists and informed consent from indigenous tribes in areas where the sampling will take place.
Many scientists say the rules are extremely restrictive.
According to a Columbia University study, only two of 37 applications have been approved. Colombia rejected an application filed by Andes Pharmaceuticals four times. The Washington-based company was started in response to the biodiversity convention and formed a joint venture with a local citizen so that some profits would go back to Colombia. But Colombia said the application was not specific enough in stating which species would be sampled and how much cash would be paid. Problems may continue after samples are collected.