Australia first to patent natural DNA

[ANAMARIA at UCBCMSA.BITNET]

  - - - - The original note follows - - - -

Date:         Mon, 19 Apr 1993 16:06:24 -0500
Reply-To:     vogel at DEAKIN.EDU.AU
Sender:       Discussion on Biological Conservation <CONSLINK at SIVM.BITNET>
From:         Joe Vogel <vogel at DEAKIN.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Australia first to patent natural DNA
To:           Multiple recipients of list CONSLINK <CONSLINK at SIVM.BITNET>

On 14 April 1993, the Queensland government announced it will patent
genetic codes of natural flora and fauna in an effort to recoup royalties
from foreign industries that commercialise the State's wild plants and
animals ("State to patent nature's Secrets" by Madonna King, The
Australian, p. 1, 14/4/93).

The patenting of natural genetic information corresponds to the policy I
have been advocating the last several years in Australia. The government
institute for whom I work, published my book "Privatisation as a
Conservation Policy: A Market Solution to the Mass Extinction Crisis"
(Melbourne, Centre for INternational REsearch on Communication and
Information Technologies, 1992, pp. 170, ISBN# 0-646-12315-7) and it is in
the pipeline to be republished this year by one of the top ten academic
presses. I am writing to see if there is interest among the subscribers of
conslink in a precis of the book before I download it.

Thanks

Joseph Henry Vogel, PhD
Research Fellow, CIRCIT
fax 61 3 616 8800