[Ip-health] US Patent Policy, Biotech, and African Agriculture: The Case for Policy Change

[Mike Palmedo]

American Patent Policy, Biotechnology, and African Agriculture: The Case
for Policy Change
Briefing on a New Resources for the Future Report

Does United States patent policy hinder access to biotechnology as a
tool for improving agriculture and food security in Africa? Could
changes in American patent policy improve developing country access to
biotechnology without undercutting the invention incentives of the
patent system? These questions are addressed in a new report from
Resources for the Future. The RFF report analyzes the current and
potential impact of U.S. patents and patent policy on developing country
access to biotechnology and presents the case for policy change.

Donald Kennedy, editor-in-chief of Science magazine and president
emeritus of Stanford University, will join the report authors, Senior
Fellow Michael Taylor and Research Associate Jerry Cayford, in a
briefing and discussion of their new RFF Report, "American Patent
Policy, Biotechnology, and African Agriculture: The Case for Policy
Change." Copies of the report will be available at the briefing at no
charge, and there will be ample time for questions and comments from the
audience.

Please join us for this presentation and discussion.

Friday, December 12, 2003
9:00=9610:30 a.m.
Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8:30 am


      Resources for the Future****


      *RFF Conference Center, First Floor1616 P Street, NW Washington,
      DC 20036*

RSVP by December 9^th , 2003, to

Virginia Kromm at 202-328-5042 or kromm@rff.org