Preface. Acknowledgements. Biodiversity prospecting and benefit-sharing: perspectives from the field (D.D. Soejarto). The position of intellectual property rights in drug discovery and development from natural products (M.R. Boyd). Natural products research: perspectives from a major pharmaceutical company (R.P. Borris). Natural product source material use in the pharmaceutical industry: the Glaxo experience (D.M. Turner). Biological diversity, indigenous knowledge, drug discovery and intellectual property rights: creating reciprocity and maintaining relationships (S.R. King, T.J. Carlson, K. Moran). Academic Research: policies and practice (S.L. Bertha). Gene co-ops and the biotrade: translating genetic resource rights into sustainable development (W.V. Reid). Legal issues in sharing the benefits of biodiversity prospecting (T.D. Mays, K.D. Mazan). Medicinal plant genetic resources and international cooperation: the Brazilian perspective (E. Elisabetsky, L. Costa-Campos). Rules and regulations on the collection in Cameroon of biological materials for biological testing and drug discovery (J.G. Jato et al.). Juridical and sociocultural problems on the definition of a law concerning property, usage and access to genetic resources in Colombia (R. Calle). Politica de manejo y utilizacion de los recursos floristicos en la República Dominicana (R. Garcia, C. Roersch). Collection of biological materials in biodiversity prospecting in India: problems and solutions (B.H. Mehrotra). Ley Forestal de conservacion de areas naturales y de vida silvestre (V. Villacrés, M. Suárez, V. Tafur). Rules and regulations of the Government of Vietnam on collection and exportation of biological materials (M.V. Tri, T.C. Khanh). Derechos de propiedad intelectual en Costa Rica a la luz del Convenio sobre Diversidad Biologica (R. Salazar, J.A. Cabrera). Research, valorization and exploitation of biological resources for medicinal purposes in the Malagasy Republic Madagascar (F. Randimbivololona). Interests and policies of the state of Sarawak, Malayasia regarding intellectual property rights for plant derived drugs (F.J. Chung). Guidelines and policies on collection of biological specimens in the Philippines (D.A. Madulid). Biodiversity prospecting in Nigeria: seeking equity and reciprocity in intellectual property rights through partnership arrangements and capacity building (M.M. Iwu). Tanzania's policy on biodiversity prospecting and drug discovery programs (R.L.A. Mahunnah, K.E. Mshigeni). Australian deliberations on access to its terrestrial and marine biodiversity (J.T. Baker, J.D. Bell, P.T. Murphy). Camptothecin and taxol: from discovery to clinic (M.E. Wall, M.C. Wani). Discussions. Biographical sketch of speakers. Appendices. Symposium Program. List of participants. Author index. Subject index.