The Use of Universities? Intellectual Property to Address Humanitarian Concerns in Developing Nations

• Author: Maria 'Tess' Barker
• Position: J.D., The University of Iowa College of Law, December 2009
• Pages: 923-949

The Use of Universities’ Intellectual Property to Address

Humanitarian Concerns in Developing Nations

Maria “Tess” Barker*

I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 924

II. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SYSTEMS ........................................... 925

A. Copyright ......................................................................... 925

B. Trademark ....................................................................... 926

C. Trade Secrets ................................................................... 927

D. Patents.............................................................................. 928

1. Early Patent Law .................................................. 928

2. Current Patent System ......................................... 928

3. Plant Protection Act a nd Plant Variety Protectio n

Act .......................................................................... 929

III. INTERNATIONAL PATENT-RELATED TREATIES, CONVENTIONS,

AND DOCUMENTS ........................................................................ 930

A. Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and

Artistic Works .................................................................. 930

B. Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial

Properties ......................................................................... 930

C. GATT and the WTO ........................................................ 931

D. TRIPS............................................................................... 932

E. Shortcomings in the Current International IP Regime for

Dissemination of Innovation to Developing Nations ..... 933

F. Conclusion ....................................................................... 934

IV. UNIVERSITY PARTICIPATION IN PATENT SYSTEMS ..................... 935

A. Overview of Higher Education Systems in the United

States ................................................................................ 935

B. Commercialization and Universities .............................. 936

C. Models of University IP Systems .................................... 937

1. Ivory Tower or Open Research Model .................. 937

* J.D., The University of Iowa College of Law, December 2009. I would like to thank my

colleagues at Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems for their assistance with my Note. I

would also like to thank my husband, Bill, for his never ending support.

924 TRANSNATIONAL LAW & CONTEMPORARY PR OBLEMS [Vol. 19:923

2. Unregulated Collaboration Mode l ........................ 938

3. Licensing/Patent Mode l ........................................ 938

4. Entrepreneurial University Model ....................... 939

D. Bayh-Dole Act .................................................................. 939

E. University Use of the Patent System Since the Bayh-Dole

Act ..................................................................................... 940

V. SUBJECT MATTER OF INTEREST .................................................. 941

A. Medicines and Vaccines .................................................. 941

B. Agriculture and Biotechnology ....................................... 942

VI. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ................................................................. 944

A. Public-Sector Intellectual Property Resource for

Agriculture ....................................................................... 944

B. Research Exemption ........................................................ 944

C. Experimental Use Exemption ......................................... 945

D. Extraterritoriality in U.S. Patent Law ........................... 946

E. BIOS Initiative ................................................................ 946

F. Private Organization Models: IRRI and AATF ............. 947

VII. PROPOSED MODEL AND CONCLUSION ......................................... 948

I. INTRODUCTION

Colleges and universities 1

This Note explores the role of U.S. universities

in the United States are uniquely positioned to

use their patentable inventions for the benefit of not only their local

communities, but also developin g nations. A variety of systems can

potentially provide a mechanism fo r universities to share their patenta ble

inventions. These syste ms allow universities to share patents without

relinquishing the rights and benefits of patent protection when dealing with

businesses in developed nations.

2

1 This Note uses the general terms “university” or “universities” to mean all higher education

institutions.

in ensuring that their

participation in the U.S. patent system promotes the use of their inventions

for humanitarian purposes, especially in the context of developing nations.

Specifically, this Note explores the fo llowing question: what type of system

2 The issues described in this Note are applicable to a university of any size, so long as it is

engaged in research and development that leads to the creation of intellectual property rights.