Has Singapore's invention of '' to derive human stem cells
from an embryo''was stolen by US scientist,who patented it and
Sg had to pay for it for years!!?
The US scientist had visited NUS.
James A. Thomson
[email protected]Dr Ariff BongsoRead it folks.This little red dot can do somethings.
Read last Saturday 28.04.2007 Strait Times page 58,59
for full story.I know u will tell me dunt believe ST.
Aye Aye sir.Can u pl also surf the net to see
how
Prof Ariff Bongso became the first scientist to derive human stem cells from an embryo, but he never patented his work. "The climate in Asia at that time was publish, not patent," he said.
.
WHat a man research for benefits of mankind.
Compare with the US one.....
1.
More Biotechnology news.Embryonic stem cell pioneer chose to publish, not patent ,By Terri Somers,UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER,April 16, 2007 --http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/biotech/20070416-9999-1n16bongso.html
“(Prof Ariff) Bongso made the connection between his area of expertise, human embryology, and stem cells, and just went for it,” said Jeanne Loring, a stem cell researcher at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla. “That's how great scientific discoveries are made, for the sake of curiosity.”
But Bongso never patented his work.
For almost a decade, the fame and financial benefit of being the first to derive human embryonic stem cells has been heaped upon James Thomson and the University of Wisconsin...
In October 1994, his article was published – but it failed to generate much interest.
Bongso forged ahead, concentrating on growing the stem cells on fallopian tube cells, which had proved to be the trick with embryos. His method never allowed the stem cells to grow past two generations....
“Through 1995, 1996 and 1997, no one seemed interested in my work,” Bongso said. “A scientist gauges his work based on the interest that other scientists show in carrying forward his work. When there was no interest, I lost interest. I moved on.”
In 1998, the university(University of Wisconsin) received its first U.S. patents for Thomson's work growing monkey and human embryonic stem cells. The university's three patents give it control of all human embryonic stem cells used in the United States. Anyone in the nation who wants to conduct research using the cells must receive a license from the university, which is reported to charge as much as $250,000.
On April 2, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a ruling that may invalidate the Wisconsin patents. Bongso's work was identified as proof that what Thomson did was not new and unique. ...
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/2.
April 2, 2007: PTO REJECTS HUMAN STEM CELL PATENTS AT BEHEST OF CONSUMER GROUPS: Re-examination Was Initiated by Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and Public Patent Foundation
It is not easy for US Patent office to do this.
3.This can cause defamation case.
"This change in licensing policy ignores the underlying fact that WARF's patents are wholly without merit because James Thomson did not -- in fact -- invent human embryonic stem cells," said Dan Ravicher executive director of the Public Patent Foundation. "The right thing for WARF to do is admit that it doesn't deserve the patents and abandon them in their entirety."
But Patent Office revoked the patent.
FTCR and PUBPAT argued that the work done by University of Wisconsin researcher James Thomson to isolate stem cell lines was obvious in the light of previous scientific research, making his work unpatentable. To receive a patent, something must be new, useful and non-obvious. The PTO agreed with the groups.
Ariff Bongso became the first scientist to derive human stem cells from an embryo, but he never patented his work. "The climate in Asia at that time was publish, not patent," he said.
