Outline of the report
The Genes and Ingenuity report is the product of an extensive research and community consultation effort over 18 months.
The terms of reference directed the ALRC to consider—with a particular focus on human health issues—the impact of current patenting laws and practices related to genes and genetic and related technologies on:
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research and its subsequent application and commercialisation;
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the Australian biotechnology sector; and
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the cost-effective provision of healthcare in Australia .
Given the diversity of interests and concerns encompassed by these three areas, the ALRC’s task was a complex and delicate one. For example, reforms that might facilitate access to genetic inventions to assist healthcare providers and researchers could adversely affect the growing Australian biotechnology sector and the development and marketing of new healthcare products.
The ALRC’s task was to examine whether the Australian patent system was meeting the challenges of the rapidly developing science associated with the sequencing of the human genome.
The Executive Summary in ALRC 99 contains a concise summary of the key findings and recommendations in the report.