For as long as anyone in the local population can remember, members of a South Pacifi c island community have used a native plant known as pongopongo to cure fevers. Dr. Langston and his collaborators have learned about the plant while studying the population. They have collected and analyzed leaves from the plant and found that they contain powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotics. A compound isolated from the pongo-pongo plant even kills bacteria in cultures that are resistant to most antibiotics. Dr. Langston is planning to patent the compound isolated from the pongo-pongo plant, conduct animal studies, and if these are successful, conduct clinical trials. He hopes that one day the compound will play an important role in fi ghting bacterial infections, especially infections resistant to most antibiotics.
• Should Dr. Langston share any fi nancial gains with the local population?
• Would it be unfair or exploitative if he does not share?
• Should he be able to patent this compound?
