Pharmacologist Elaine Elisabetsky wrote that "ethnopharmacology involves a series of sociopolitical, economic and ethical dilemmas, at various levels...frequently host country scientists, visiting scientists, and informants disagree...research efforts are (often) perceived as scientific imperialism; scientists are accused of stealing plant materials and appropriating traditional plant knowledge for financial profit and/or professional advancement. Many governments, as well as indigenous societies are increasingly reluctant to permit such research...historically neither native populations nor host countries have shared to a significant extent the financial benefits from any drug that reaches the market...unless these issues are amply discussed and fairly resolved, medicinal plant research runs the risk of serving ethically questionable purposes."
Elaine Elisabetsky, a pharmacologist, wrote that "ethnopharmacology involves complex social, economic, and ethical dilemmas at different levels...often local scientists, visiting researchers, and informants disagree...research is frequently viewed as scientific imperialism; scientists are accused of taking plant materials and appropriating traditional knowledge for financial gain or professional advancement. Many governments and indigenous societies increasingly resist such research...historically neither native populations nor host countries have shared significantly the economic benefits from any drug that reaches the market...unless these issues are adequately addressed and fairly resolved, medicinal plant research risks serving unethical purposes."