[Commons-Law] neem patents

[srinivas at southcentre.org]

Regarding the news item posted by Ram i remember to have read a similar 
news earlier.Is this a new story or the
agency is repeating it. On patents and traditional knowledge I think it is 
not all that simple, even, for the sake of
argument we agree that traditional knowledge can be patented.On neem and 
related knowledge there are patents
that are still valid. On turmeric not all the patents were over turned by 
US PTO. On one hand there is a demand that
the patent system should be revamped so that only patents that meet a 
stricter criteria should be  granted and the 
geographical limitation on prior art should be removed. On the other hand 
there is a view that patenting TK is a 
good strategy. Some favor that communities should own the patents. 
Unfortunately the basic issues are not addressed, 
nor the conceptual and practical difficulties are examined.
 
K.Ravi Srinivas
Post Doctoral Fellow
IPR Policy Research &
Development Program
South Centre 
17-19 Chemin Du Champ d'Anier
1209 Petit Saconnex
Geneva
Switzerland

Postal Address

K.Ravi Srinivas
South Centre
CP 228 
1211 Geneva 19
Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 791 81 67 
Fax: +41 22 798 85 31

email: srinivas at southcentre.org
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