University Sponsored medical Research

[James Love <love@cptech.org>]

Important info regarding University sponsored medical research.  Jamie

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Subject: PATNEWS: UCB DNA reexam; Bayh-Dole stury; year's worst
patentclaim
     Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 23:34:37 -0500
     From: srctran@world.std.com (Gregory Aharonian)


!19980303  UCB DNA reexam; Bayh-Dole study; year's worst patent claim

  [snip]

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    Monday's patent column in the New York Times reports on a study done
of the Bayh-Dole act.  Richard Nelson (Columbia University) and Arvids
Ziedonis (Berkeley) studied patenting and licensing at their
universities for the 1980 to 1997 time period.  They offered three
conclusions: that Bayh-Dole has not spurred technological innovation;
that industry would have commercialized the technology in any event; but
that universities did derive additional incomes because of the act. 
"...Revenue from patent licensing constitutes about 2 percent of
universities' research budget, Nelson estimates, and most of that comes
from biotechnology patents".

    If so, it ain't worth compromising the independence of universities.
Have Congress give them the extra two percent for their R&D budgets. And
scrap CRADAs while you are at it - I suspect a similar minimal impact
will be measured at the government laboratories.  Increase their budgets
some amount and let them get back to their independence. Government
agencies don't do business very well, and universities shouldn't have
to.

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  [snip]

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Greg Aharonian
Internet Patent News Service