Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy 2008

Worst Use of Public Funds:

European Union’s Transcontainer Project
For using public funds for the EU’s 3-year, €5.38 million research on genetic seed sterilization, denying that it’s Terminator technology and claiming that it will enhance biosafety. The Transcontainer Project is developing “Zombie” seeds that would require farmers to buy a proprietary chemical to restore the fertility of their seeds every growing season. There is no such thing as a safe or acceptable Terminator.

Most Egregious Climate Change Profiteering:

The Gene Giants (especially BASF, Monsanto, Syngenta and DuPont)
For stockpiling hundreds of monopoly patents on “climate-ready” genes in plants that the companies claim will genetically fortify crops to withstand changing climatic conditions – including drought, high-heat, cold, floods, saline soils, and more. And for insisting that industry’s genetically modified crops are the essential techno-solution to address climate chaos created by the world’s richest countries.

Worst Betrayal of Global Public Trust:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, Tennessee) and World Health Organization (WHO)
For betrayal of trust as a WHO Collaborating Centre for pandemic influenza research. St. Jude’s has filed patent applications on influenza genes – from Vietnam and elsewhere – that it received by virtue of its WHO affiliation. WHO has not taken action to stop rampant patent claims, by St. Jude’s and others, on influenza viruses collected under the authority of WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN).

Slipperiest Biopirate:

D1 Oils, UK
For “acquiring” 18 varieties of high-oil content and drought-resistant jatropha, which were being grown at Indira Ghandi Agriculture University, Raipur, India. It appears that an employee of the university took the varieties, then quit his post and, days later, was named technical director of D1 Oils’ Indian operations. D1 is involved in a $160 million joint venture with BP to produce jatropha oil for agrofuels.

Biggest Threat to Genetic Privacy:

23andMe
For convincing consumers to pay for genetic testing (that 23andMe markets as a guide to personal health a cool social networking tool) and hand over DNA samples and personal medical information, which the company plans to sell to medical researchers. In its fine-print legal disclaimers, 23andMe states: “Your saliva, once submitted to and analyzed by us, becomes our property.”

Most Hubris:

Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
For racing to create and patent a new species constructed from synthetic DNA. The company intends to insert its man-made bacterial genome – dubbed “Synthia” – into a living cell so that it survives and replicates. When asked if they are playing God, Synthetic Genomics CEO Craig Venter and Co-Chief Scientific Officer Hamilton Smith answer, “We don’t play.”

Best Smokescreen:

Public Research and Regulation Initiative
For tirelessly advocating and defending corporate biotech interests under the banner of publicly funded researchers. PRRI embraces the benefits of Terminator and GE trees, for example – and how does that benefit the public interest?

Captain Hook Special Recognition: The Sunken Ship Award

Planktos, Inc., a climate change profiteer, for its quest to earn carbon credits by dumping tons of nano-sized iron particles in the ocean near the Galapagos Islands – ostensibly to sequester carbon. More than 15 organizations collaborated to denounce and mobilize against the company’s scientifically dubious “geoengineering” activities. Local organizations, particularly in Ecuador, were instrumental in stopping Planktos, which shut down operations in April (2008).