navigating the patent maze

The cambiaIP website has long had complete text searchable patent documents in the field of agriculture. This week, the dataset is expanded to include all documents in life sciences and chemistry. The documents span the last 20-25 years and originate from the United States, Europe (granted patents only), Australia (granted patents only and from 1998), and WIPO.

Unlike most other free patent search sites that only allow text searching on the front page of a document, the cambiaIP site offers true full-text search, meaning that the entire text of the patent document can be searched. Moreover, multiple search terms can be limited by nearness, that is ANIMAL NEAR/10 DOG requires that the two search words, animal and dog, be located within 10 words of each other. This powerful feature can weed out many irrelevant patent documents.

To search the datasets, go here.
To explore other patent information on the site, go here.

The link leads to a PDF file of a powerpoint presentation regarding searching DNA and protein sequences, including those from patents, on the web. Although the presentation is biased toward STN International (the presenter is a sales manager from STN), it contains some interesting facts and useful information.

“The Complete Biosequence Patent Search: Mission Impossible?“, slides from a talk by Rob Austin from FIZ Karlsruhe at the Spring ACS National Meeting, 2004.

Two new licensing handbooks have now been published. The first is from ABSP (Institute of International Agriculture), a part of Michigan State University that houses externally funded international development project activities. The second is from Centre for Management of IP in Health R&D (MIHR).

For those who are interested in a training book for IP and Biotechnology, visit Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade site (link). This handbook is highly recommended.

Because of bans and moratoriums in the major agriculture states of Australia, Monsanto has decided to pull out of research programs leading to trials of GM-modified crops.

Western Australia and Tasmania have banned GM crops. Victoria and South Australia both have moratoriums. New South Wales is also instituting control by scaling back at least one trial of GM canola.

While the news pleases anti-GM groups, many farmers and industry groups are unhappy with this development. A spokesman for the Commonwealth Agriculture Minister said that Australia’s farmers now risk being left behind in world markets.

Interestingly, in a survey done by Biotechnology Australia, “Australians are more likely to be concerned about pollution, the greenhouse effect and nuclear waste than the use of gene technology.” (view public attitude reports) The study found that 56% believe that Australian farmers need access to gene technology to stay competitive internationally and 45% of Australians would eat GM foods.