Tony Howard
"The legal framework surrounding patents for living materials: a European/UK focus"
The presentation will set out the legal background to the availability and scope of patent protection for inventions which directly or indirectly involve living organisms or biological materials. In particular, it will focus on the law within the European Union, but will also touch upon international agreements which impact on patent rights for living matter. How this law is translated into practice by the UK Patent Office during the examination of patent applications will be addressed. In addition, the current state of play of those aspects of international negotiations on traditional knowledge and genetic resources which concern patents will be discussed.