Biodiversity, Knowledge and Rights Series No.2

Why biotech patents are patently absurd: A Scientific briefing on TRIPS and related issues

by Mae Wan-Ho

This is a series of papers published by Third World Network, aimed at deepening public understanding on the inter-relationship between biodiversity, knowledge on the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources, and the rights relating to such resources and knowledge.

Contents

Chapter 1  Introduction
Glossary of terms

Chapter 2  Range of 'patents on life'
Patents based on plagiarism and biopiracy
Patents based on discoveries
Patents on transgenic processes and organisms
Patents on nuclear-transplant cloning and other in vitro reproductive techniques and organisms resulting from those techniques
Patents on cell stem isolation and culture techniques and the stem cells and cell lines
Patents on GM constructs and vectors

Chapter 3  Analysis of articles related to patents in TRIPS and EU directive 98/44/EC
Article 27.3b of TRIPS
Article 4 and 5 of the EU directive
Analysis

Chapter 4  General critique on the patentability of genes or nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) sequence

Chapter 5  Conclusions

Endnotes

General references and reports

Size: 14.5 x 21 cm
No. of  pages:  28
ISBN No:  983-9747-55-X

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