"Countries are expected to reach a deal at this month's U.N. COP16 nature summit on how the world uses and pays for genetic information extracted from nature, according to negotiators.

Experts refer to this data as "digital sequence information," or DSI for short. Here is what you need to know about the talks:

The unique genetic codes and sequences in all living organisms hold the information needed for them to develop and function. For years, researchers have been tapping the genetic codes of plants, animals and microbes in search of new compounds that can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or other commercial purposes.

Species-rich countries, including tropical giants like Brazil and India, are on guard against corporations and researchers capitalizing on their biodiversity without offering compensation or royalties to the country where a species originated.
In response, a complex system of laws has cropped up to govern the use of genetic material. The laws vary widely from country to country, posing headaches for companies and complicating the sharing of biological material for research. This system has also generated little money for developing nations."

Jake Spring reports for Reuters October 23, 2024. [2]

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