Conservation areas must be registered to have Intellectual Property (IP) rights to protect their resources.
The PNG Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (PNG CLRC) is working with the Science and Technology Secretariat Council to look into this.
PNG CLRC secretary Dr Eric Kwa says IP rights can limit access to pharmaceuticals, access to knowledge and genetic resources in conservation areas.
Dr Kwa said there may be scientists who would like to do some scientific work in conservation areas so we need to safeguard the genetic resources that belong to these protected areas.
Dr Kwa explained that scientists may discover a resource in conservation and protected areas that can treat cancer or other diseases.
He added that the IP rights will protect these resources from being taken out by scientists.
Picture caption: YUS Conservation Area on the Huon Peninsula, Morobe Province. Courtesy of www.iucn.org