Industrial Platform for Microbiology refocuses its work
The Industrial Platform for Microbiology, a ginger group of EU-funded companies and researchers, has decided to change the focus of its activities. It will now aim to provide a forum for EU industrial microbiologists to discuss research and development strategies, scientific aspects of regulatory developments in applied life sciences, and professional issues such as education and training in the field. The Industrial Platform for Microbiology was originally established to organise information exchange between EU-funded companies interested in using the results of EU funded projects and academics working on microbiology research and development projects. Its members will meet again in Brussels in February 1999 to discuss a draft "code of conduct" for companies involved in bioprospecting activities. The group has recently published a report on a Brussels-based workshop entitled "Putting a price on microbial genetic resources", which took place in December 1998. The report covers the conclusions drawn by the conference participants regarding how to approach the question of "prior informed consent" and how to pay for "bioprospecting" for new microbes.