The Collaborating Conundrum Oct 2009 New Zealand's life sciences industry is at a critical juncture. Emerging life science companies continue to face difficulties in accessing capital, something that has been compounded by the economic recession. Private sector investment in research and development also looks set to decline (and in some cases possibly shift offshore to countries like Australia), due in part to the Government's abolishment of the R&D tax credit regime only 12 months after its establishment. > Read More> View PDF
Human Tissue Bill Introduced Feb 2007 If you've had reason to apply for a driving licence recently, you will be aware that the current Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ) licence application forms require you to indicate whether or not you would be willing to donate organs in the event of your death. LTNZ cannot produce a licence card for you until you've ticked 'Yes' or 'No'.
Whatever your personal views on organ donation, you may be left wondering exactly what it would mean if you ticked 'Yes'. The fundamental problem is that it is not clear what you are signing up to. Moreover, there is no indication of whether your choice whether or not to donate was an informed one. It is precisely this issue that the new Human Tissue Bill (Bill) attempts to clarify through the imposition of an informed consent framework. > View PDF
Birth of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in New Zealand Nearing Reality Nov 2006 The use of human stem cells, and in particular human embryonic stem cells, in research is a highly emotive and hotly debated issue which has recently been thrust back into the limelight with the US mid-term elections. The chief concern with human embryonic stem cell research is that it necessarily involves the destruction of a human embryo. Advocates of human embryonic stem cell research, such as Michael J Fox and Christopher Reeve, have argued that the use of embryos which are surplus to requirement after fertilisation procedures is justified, as the embryos would otherwise be wasted and the benefits of such research are potentially large. However, opponents of human embryonic stem cell research state that because human life begins at conception, embryos should not be destroyed for research purposes. > View PDF
The Doha Mandate: Compulsory Licensing of Pharmaceutical Patents May 2006 In January this year China's State Intellectual Property Office issued an order for the compulsory licensing of potential pharmaceutical products which approved the WTO's Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health to China's pharmaceutical industry. > View PDF
Are Patents a Risk to Your Business? May 2006 Patents were once the preserve of scientists and inventors. Now, however, all businesses should be aware of the benefits and risks they pose and the commercial advantages that a sound patent strategy can have, particularly for businesses reliant on technology or operating in the technology area.
> View PDF
Bioethics Council Releases Report on Xenotransplantation Mar 2006 Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues and organs from one species to another. This article addresses the recent Bioethics Council recommendations relevant to the development of xenotransplantation in New Zealand. > View PDF
Plant Variety Rights Enforced Against Director and Company Mar 2006 A recent decision of the New Zealand Court of Appeal serves as a useful reminder to those operating in the bio-tech and agri-tech industries that intellectual property rights may exist in raw materials such as plant varieties, as well as in brands, inventions, and creative or industrial works. Such rights are valuable tools in trade, as they enable rights holders to obtain economic returns by way of licences and, if necessary, to enforce prohibitions against the unauthorised use of protected varieties by others. > View PDF
