140 Y. Yuthavong
industrialized countries, including protection of micro-organisms and
plants originally occurring in the developing countries, but having been
isolated or modified by foreign inventors, pose an important dilemma for
the developing countries over policy for most effective use of the biore-
sources. To open these resources to the international industrial community
would, on the one hand, encourage more effective utilization through bio-
technology. On the other hand, such an open policy might inadvertently
lead to restriction of use by the developing countries of their own resources
in the long run. Depending on the status of biotechnology and bioindustry,
each developing country has to find the optimum measures which will
allow both the growth of technology and the retention of ownership of its
endogenous resources.
 The use of a few superior resources, say, genetically improved plant
species, has a side effect which must not be ignored by the developing
countries. As the extent of this use grows, the survival of the various origi-
nal genetic resources is threatened. Conservation of the original genetic
resources should be an important aim of biotechnology as well as develop-
ment and utilization of improved resources. The conservation is important
not only for a passive purpose of maintaining the original gene pool, but
also for the active purpose of a safeguard against inadvertent loss of genetic
characters which might be needed in unforeseen stress situations or in fur-
ther improvement of the resources.


SAFEGUARDS AGAINST BIOHAZARDS

 Just as the questions of safety to the public, either from laboratory or
field experiments or actual applications in biotechnology, are taken seri-
ously in developed countries, so should they also be raised in the develop-
ing countries intending to promote their biotechnological capabilities. The
developing countries are fortunate in that they can learn from the experi-
ence of developed countries. The safety of genetic engineering experiments
and genetically engineered microorganisms, for example, has been subject
to scientific tests and public debate for over a decade now, and the conclu-
sions reached so far should be useful to the developing countries in devising
safety guidelines. Ensurance of safe commercial products of genetic engi-
neering is a part of necessary development work by the companies which
must meet rigorous criteria before the products can be released. The issue
of environmental impact of released biotechnology products is being ac-
tively examined. Developing countries should take an active interest in
these issues, and take precautionary measures as necessary. These issues are