Research tool patents and free-libre biotechnology: A suggested unified framework

Julien Pénin () and Jean-Pierre Wack
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Julien Pénin: BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Jean-Pierre Wack: BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: This paper proposes a unified conceptual framework to analyze the multiple role and consequences of patents in the case of biotechnology research tools. We argue that the knowledge/information and independent/complementary nature of research tools define heterogeneous frameworks in which the patent system plays different roles. In particular, using the analogy with the free-libre open source movement in software, we show that patents can promote open innovation by ensuring the freedom of some pieces of knowledge. A strong conclusion of the paper is therefore that, against common belief, an adequate use of the patent system may contribute to preserving freedom of access to upstream research tools within a framework that we call free-libre biotechnology.

Keywords: Intellectual property rights; Sequential innovation; Open source; Knowledge; Collective invention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-12
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Published in Research Policy, 2008, 37 (10), pp.1909-1921. ⟨10.1016/j.respol.2008.07.012⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04061573

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2008.07.012

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