Research report 2004 - Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law
Patents on disease genes
Authors
Herrlinger, Karolina Anna
Departments
Geistiges Eigentum und Wettbewerbsrecht (Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Joseph Straus)
MPI für Geistiges Eigentum, Wettbewerbs- und Steuerrecht, München
Summary
Patents on disease genes cause concerns about hampered research and development and access to medicine services. A research project at the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law analyses how far these concerns are justified and discusses possible measures to ensure freedom of research and development. The analysis shows that the major factor in the conflict between promotion of investments and freedom of research is the patent owner’s licensing policy.