Patents for genomes? The United States could (and should) do more to prevent the confusion caused by genome patenting
Article Abstract:
The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) decision in 1991 to apply to the Patent Office for patents on genomes or DNA sequences discovered by Craig Venter's research team triggered an international controversy. Britain's Medical Research Council responded by seeking to patent its own genetic discoveries, while the British, French and Japanese governments criticized NIH's action and called for a ban on patenting sequences when their genetic role has not been determined. The US government ought to order NIH to rescind its application rather than rely on the Patent Office to reject it.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1992
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Let the French sue: a lawsuit against the US over the AIDS patent would finally bring all of the hard facts into open court
Article Abstract:
The dispute between France and the US over how to split patent royalties earned by the AIDS virus blood test should be settled in open court so that this protracted disagreement will no longer impede AIDS research. The case arose when French researcher Luc Montagnier claimed that the his laboratory was the source of the AIDS virus that US researcher Robert Gallo used to produce an AIDS blood test. In 1987 the two countries agreed to a 50-50 division of patent royalties, but the French now claim a greater share on the grounds that Montagnier did more than 50% of the work.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1992
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Ownership of the human genome
Article Abstract:
There is little information regarding the actual ownership of the human DNA patents despite a wide interest in the patents of the human genome. Most of the DNA patents are held by companies in the US, Japan, and Europe, and almost 50% of the patents have been issued by the European Patent Office (EPO). Japan and the US own 70% of the EPO patents while Europe accounts for only 24%. The patent laws should be altered to avoid the ownership of entire genomes by a single organization.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1996
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