National bioprospecting regulations released

The Australian government has released new national environmental regulations to control 'bioprospecting' -- the search for new chemicals in living things that will have some medical or commercial use.

Released on the eve of the AusBiotech national conference being held in Perth, the regulations were declared under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and will come into force on December 1.

"These new regulations will not only protect the environment, but they will prevent the unauthorised commercialisation of valuable biological resources from Commonwealth lands and waters," said Federal environment and heritage minister Senator Ian Campbell in a statement.

"They will ensure that it's no longer possible to use our genetic resources for R&D without permission and an equitable return to Australia."

Streamlined arrangements for non-commercial research scientists to obtain access to Commonwealth owned or managed genetic resources have also been included in the regulations, said Campbell.

Developed following consultation with various sectors, including AusBiotech, the regulations implement existing federal government policy and commitments under the 2002 agreement made by all Australian governments on the management of Australia's genetic resources. The regulations also implement Australia's obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

"The regulations increases legal certainty for access to the Commonwealth's jurisdictions, which is mainly the marine environment and some of our national parks," said AusBiotech chairman Simon Carroll.

Carroll said that for Australia to realise its potential in the area of bioprospecting, the states will need to bring forward their own legislation in a timely fashion following Queensland's lead when it introduced the Biodiversity Act in 2004.

"We need to be able to lower the transaction costs of doing business in this area," said Carroll. "Bringing together harmonisation of all of the states and federal government's regulatory processes to genetic resources should decrease transaction costs."

As one of the world's most biodiverse nations, Australia is a potential goldmine for bioprospecting.

While ten of the world's top 25 top-selling pharmaceuticals were originally sourced from animals, plants or microorganisms, only a small proportion of Australia's species have so far been examined for their potential. Yet more than 80 per cent of Australia's two million species of plants and animals are not found anywhere else in the world. Some Australian institutions conducting research into bioprospecting are:

• Griffith University's Pharmaceutical Research Institute is focusing on coastal marine organisms and rainforest plants from Queensland, looking mainly for products with potential in the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory areas;
• Queensland's Australian Institute of Marine Science is also looking at marine environments. Marine organisms produce chemical signals, venoms, anti-fouling agents, and biochemical means of protection from harmful environments. Understanding how these agents work has wide potential for commercial and biomedical applications;
• The Key Centre for Biodiversity and Bioresources at Sydney's Macquarie University is investigating ant species in the quest for new antibiotics. The Centre has patented a new substance from a common species of Australian bull ant that could one day become an effective weapon against golden staph.