Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights : A Review

Abstract

　Traditional knowledge(TK) is defined as a cumulative body of knowledge and beliefs of indigenous and local communities and closely linked to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. TK is handed down from generation to generation, and has no identifiable inventor. Intellectuall property rights(IPRs), in contrast, protect new knowledge that is created by individuals and do not recognize collective rights. Therfore, many controversies over the impacts of IPRs on the TK have been raised in various international forums.