Abstract
This paper reports on an exploratory research work carried out aiming to identify the barriers in the usage of traditional medicines by the holders of the knowledge. The focus is on the usage of the traditional medicines by the homogenous people, Malayali tribe community at Shervaroy hills of Eastern Ghats. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among the tribe community of the area. Where the knowledge has been passed on from generations making the traditional medicinal knowledge strongly imbibed in their culture, the research findings divulged the reasons as to why in spite of having immense knowledge on traditional medicines these tribe community are opting for codified from of medicines. This report also explored the understanding of older generation in the context of holders of the traditional medicinal knowledge among the Malayali tribe community. The conclusion supports the implementation of existing policies stringently with recommendations so as to draw closer towards the three objectives enshrined in the Convention of Biodiversity and Biological Diversity Act, 2002. This paper contributes to the policy makers, pharmaceutical companies, non-governmental organizations and the holders of traditional medicinal knowledge so as to collaborate, in the process, protecting and promoting the traditional knowledge in medicinal plants.
Highlights
In today’s competitive world, knowledge economy plays a vital role, leading to many Intellectual Property (IP) thefts
The elevated costs of western pharmaceuticals put modern health care services impracticable for a large amount of the world's populace, which relies on traditional medicine and medicinal plants to meet their primary needs of wellbeing (Usha & Annadurai, 2010; Fitch, 2012)
Indigenous people are unable to meet the expense of the modern pharmaceuticals and relying on traditional remedies, thereby sustaining knowledge and interest in these practices
Summary
In today’s competitive world, knowledge economy plays a vital role, leading to many Intellectual Property (IP) thefts. One such booming area but suffering lack of support and training from the government is Traditional Knowledge (TK), though it has acknowledged appreciation as being balancing to, corresponding with, and pertinent to scientifically knowledge (Tavana, 1997). TK can be handicrafts, folklore and medicinal knowledge. Apart from the above, some other examples of patents based on traditional Indian medicine that can be cited are the anti-fungal properties of neem, turmeric for healing wounds, and a diabetes drug made from extract of jamun, which patents were revoked. The cases involving Maasai people of Kenya and Tuareg or Touareg, North African tribal inhabitants where the word ‘Maasai’ is used in association with a range of commodities from Land Rover cars, to running shoes, to Louis Vuitton towels, hats, scarves and bags as in tourism and hospitality services, while Volkswagen manufactures the SUV Touareg (Mukherjee, 2013)
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