Nagoya Protocol – Compliance and R&D at AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca upholds the principles of the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement to protect the benefits enjoyed by the country of origin of natural biological resources used in research. The pharmaceutical industry sometimes uses natural biological resources (such as plant or fish extracts) that might be modified to support its R&D programmes on the path to finding a new medicine. The Nagoya Protocol is an international treaty that helps to ensure fair reward is given to the country that originally supplies the biological material. In accordance with the Protocol, users of biological resources have to record their access and use of the material and keep a record of this for 20 years (‘due diligence’). They also have to set ‘mutually agreed terms’ – a contract that legally defines the conditions of the deal and the benefit that will be received by the country of origin if a new drug is produced. This sharing of benefit helps to ensure a more measured and transparent approach to the use of natural resources, and supports the sustainability of our planet’s biological diversity. This training/awareness video for AstraZeneca staff explains the premise of the Nagoya Protocol and offers the required guidance for its compliance.