LETTER: Patent medicine for genes

From Mr Godehard Nowak

Sir: In his article looking forward to the public hearing of the European patent system, at the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich, Tom Wilkie implies that the EPO is acting outside the context of public opinion [in saying that "public attitudes have changed since 1973" regarding the patenting of surgical procedures].

Mr Wilkie also states that the documents for this meeting have been circulated "exclusively within the community of patent lawyers and companies interested in protecting their intellectual property".

In fact, invitations to comment on the European Patent Organisation's proposals for strategies went out to nearly 250 newspapers and journals in the 17 member states of the organisation (although the Independent was the only one of the newspapers to contribute a comment).

These invitations to comment were directed not only to the users of the patent system and the press, but also to ministries of technology and research, and other international organisations, professional associations, think tanks and universities or research institutes that specialise in intellectual property matters.

Their statements formed part of the materials for discussion at the hearing.

Yours faithfully,

Godehard Nowak

Director

Public Relations

European Patent Office

Munich

14 September