Mashoto Kijakazi Obed
National Institute for Medical Research.
East Afr Health Res J. 2024;8(2):280-287. doi: 10.24248/eahrj.v8i2.791. Epub 2024 Jun 26.
Lack or inadequate implementation and enforcement of legal frameworks for accessing and benefit sharing arising from the use of traditional and indigenous knowledge is associated with sub-optimal exploitation of traditional medicine knowledge and related research outputs in many African countries.
This study assessed the practice of protecting the rights of holders of traditional medicine knowledge, and identified challenges in regulating, registering and protecting traditional medicine based services, processes and products in Tanzania.
Practice of protecting the rights of holders of traditional medicine knowledge in Tanzania was assessed through interviews with 12 knowledge holders and practitioners of traditional medicines, and 12 key informants from national regulatory authorities, and research and high learning institutions involved in traditional medicine research and development in Tanzania.
Absence of frameworks for accessing and benefit sharing arising from the use of tradition medicine knowledge, mistrust and inadequate knowledge on procedures for protection of traditional medicine based intellectual property hampers the practice of protecting the rights of holders of traditional medicine knowledge in Tanzania. Costly and bureaucratic procedures are among the challenges encountered by knowledge holders and practitioners of tradition medicine in registration of their traditional medicine products and practices. Poor network relationship between holders of traditional medicine knowledge and research community slow down the progress of traditional medicine research and development. Lack of guidelines for regulation of traditional medicine research may be the result of overlapping roles of the National Institute for Medical Research and the Council of Traditional and Alternative Medicine.
In Tanzania, the environment for protecting the rights of holders of traditional medicine knowledge is suboptimal. To stimulate exploitation of traditional medicine for economic growth, there is a need to develop and implement national and institutional frameworks for accessing and benefit sharing arising from the use of traditional knowledge.
在许多非洲国家，因使用传统和本土知识而产生的获取与惠益分享法律框架缺乏或执行不力，这与传统医学知识及相关研究成果的利用未达最佳状态有关。
本研究评估了坦桑尼亚保护传统医学知识持有者权利的实践情况，并确定了在规范、注册和保护坦桑尼亚传统医学服务、流程及产品方面所面临的挑战。
通过对12名传统医学知识持有者和从业者、12名来自国家监管机构以及参与坦桑尼亚传统医学研发的研究与高等教育机构的关键信息提供者进行访谈，评估了坦桑尼亚保护传统医学知识持有者权利的实践情况。
缺乏因使用传统医学知识而产生的获取与惠益分享框架、不信任以及对基于传统医学的知识产权保护程序的了解不足，阻碍了坦桑尼亚保护传统医学知识持有者权利的实践。传统医学知识持有者和从业者在注册其传统医学产品和实践时面临的挑战包括成本高昂和手续繁琐。传统医学知识持有者与研究群体之间的网络关系不佳，减缓了传统医学研发的进程。缺乏传统医学研究监管指南可能是由于国家医学研究所与传统及替代医学委员会职责重叠所致。
在坦桑尼亚，保护传统医学知识持有者权利的环境并不理想。为促进利用传统医学推动经济增长，有必要制定并实施因使用传统知识而产生获取与惠益分享的国家和机构框架。
