From Jose Olivares, Estacion Experimental del Zaidin, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Granada. Spain olivares@eez.csic.es

Regarding intellectual property rights (IPRs) and the power of multinational corporations (MNCs) [Factor a) in the conference Update of 7 May...Moderator], it is necessary to encourage those who are in charge of science policy in developed countries to support public science with the idea that applied results obtained could be transferred without expenses for developing countries. Now the spirit is the contrary: public money is given directly or indirectly to the MNCs. There is a clear example related to health: via Social Medical Services, governments in the developed countries pay pharmaceutical MNCs money that could be spent on public research. Instead of transferring results, another alternative is that developed countries do not transfer final products free of charge to developing countries, but rather transfer the technology and assistance to produce them.

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