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Are the gene-patent storm clouds dissipating? A global snapshot

In genetic diagnostics testing, what are the boundaries of the global patent problem, and is there a real risk that patents and licensing practices could impede access to tests?

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Figure 1: Number of countries with at least one extended patent family application or designation, by disease.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to G. Van Overwalle, T. Bubela and S. Chandraskharan for helpful feedback on drafts of this manuscript. This project was funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant DP0985077, 2009–2013 to D.N.

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Correspondence to Johnathon Liddicoat.

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Liddicoat, J., Whitton, T. & Nicol, D. Are the gene-patent storm clouds dissipating? A global snapshot. Nat Biotechnol 33, 347–352 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3182

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