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Balancing Innovation and Access to Healthcare through the Patent System - An Australian Perspective

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 17:15 authored by Dianne NicolDianne Nicol
This article examines the enforcement of gene and other research tool patents in Australia. An empirical analysis of patenting practices in the Australian medical biotechnology industry showed heightened concern about the impact of patents on research and diagnostic testing, but provided little evidence to support these concerns at that time. Since then, the Australian company Genetic Technologies Ltd. has been enforcing its patents for non-coding DNA sequences. The governments of Australia are encouraging the biotechnology industry to better protect and enforce intellectual property rights, but recognize these needs to be balanced against access to healthcare. The article discusses proposals made by the Australian Law Reform Commission to adjust the balance, both by tightening the requirements for obtaining patents and by introducing various options to assist providers of diagnostic services and others in using patented inventions, but at the same time maintaining the incentive to innovate. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG.

History

Publication title

Community Genetics

Volume

8

Issue

4

Pagination

228-234

ISSN

1422-2795

Department/School

Faculty of Law

Publisher

Karger

Place of publication

Switzerland

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Justice and the law not elsewhere classified

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