Fwd: [open-science] patent rights on the NCoV virus

[Bryan Bishop]

Anyone feel like violating some patents?

From: R Mounce OKF <ross....@okfn.org>
Date: Fri, May 24, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Subject: [open-science] patent rights on the NCoV virus
To: open-s...@lists.okfn.org, okfn-d...@lists.okfn.org

This is utterly horrid. Open knowledge sharing in this area particularly is *vital* to saving lives and effectively diagnosing illnesses. Yet patents appear to be impeding this.

WHO urges information sharing over novel coronavirus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22649922

The move comes after Saudi Arabia said the development of diagnostic tests had been delayed by patent rights on the NCoV virus by commercial laboratories.

Twenty-two deaths and 44 cases have been reported worldwide since 2012, the WHO says...

Ross

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Ross Mounce

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The Open Knowledge Foundation

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[Patrik D'haeseleer]

Here's another excellent story on this issue, with a wider variety of viewpoints:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/05/17/coronavirus-tracking.html

Yeah, there's definitely fingers to be pointed in all directions here. Did you know Saudi Arabia actually *fired* the researcher who discovered this new virus? Officially because he dared to share the virus with other researchers. But likely the fact that he was making waves about a new virus at a time that it might scare away many Haj pilgrims had a lot to do with it as well.

The article above seems to indicate that the main problem currently are with the restrictive Materials Transfer Agreements the Dutch lab are putting on this new strain. Which may very well be their standard operating procedure, given how deadly it seems to be. But it is rather ironic to hear the Saudi deputy health minister complain about this, since they're the ones who fired the researcher who has the *original* samples -  and who had already sent samples and clinical data to the Health ministry without any response!

Patrik