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.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Law and Legal Studies
Research Group:	Law
Research Field:	Law not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Law, Politics and Community Services
Objective Group:	Justice and the Law
Objective Field:	Justice and the Law not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Nicol, D (Professor Dianne Nicol)
ID Code:	36622
Year Published:	2005
Web of Science® Times Cited:	7
Deposited By:	Law
Deposited On:	2005-08-01
Last Modified:	2007-08-14
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