A long awaited Australian Senate committee report into gene patenting has recently been released, providing totally inconclusive results, meaning the status quo on gene patents is maintained for now. The terms of reference for the inquiry directed the Committee to consider the impacts of gene patents on healthcare, medical research and the health and wellbeing of Australians.
A senate committee was threatening to up end the obtaining of gene patents in Australia. However, after much deliberations they have released a report that adds very little if anything to the debate.
The conclusions of the report appear to be that Australia should follow developments in other countries, particularly the United States. In particular, the report notes that: "While changes to the law in the US will not be directly binding on IP Australia, the Committee notes evidence that IP Australia considers that a high degree of conformity between Australia's patent system and jurisdictions such as the US is desirable. The Committee therefore expects that the Government and IP Australia will seek to adopt any substantive changes to US patent law and practice around the granting of patents over isolated genetic materials."
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