Government Affairs Home > Washington Highlights > March 22, 2002

Rivers Introduces Bills On Gene Patent Policy

March 22, 2002 - Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Mich.) March 14 introduced legislation to clarify federal patent policy with regard genetic sequence information. The "Genomic Research and Diagnostic Accessibility Act of 2002" (H.R. 3967) would permit scientists to use patented genetic sequence information for non-commercial research and permit physicians to perform genetic diagnostic and other testing without infringing on a gene patent. The bill also would require public disclosure of genomic sequence information contained within a patent application when federal funds were used in the development of the invention. Such data must be released within 30 days of the patent filing, rather than the current 18 months.

Rep. Rivers also introduced the "Genomic Science and Technology Innovation Act of 2002" (H.R. 3966), which would require the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, either alone or through a contract with the National Academy of Sciences, to conduct a study on the impact of federal policies, including intellectual property policies, on the innovation process for genomic technologies.

The bills, which are cosponsored by Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. H.R. 3966 also has been referred to the House Science Committee. There are no companion measures in the Senate.

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