ABSTRACT
The patenting-related tensions between the academic environment and the industry were clearly demonstrated by Professor Desire Collen's outline of the tPA patent proceedings. Biotechnology patents do not always seem to fulfil the requirement that it must be possible to carry out the invention over the whole range claimed 'without undue effort'. Members who want to exclude certain inventions from patentability on grounds of 'ordre public' or morality are allowed to do so. The appropriate 'stages for attack' are the research into and the marketing of the inventions in question. Mr. Lars Kluver's presentation on the consensus conferences organised by the Danish Board of Technology felicitously struck people: people feel that this is a very encouraging 'story'. Mr. Daniel Alexander made another very important remark on how patent offices could 'design' a case-by-case assessment of risks and benefits. Many scientists do not agree with the patenting of human genes, but because others are patenting them, feel obliged to do the same.
