SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online
vol.84 issue5Managing the effect of TRIPS on availability of
priority vaccines author indexsubject indexarticles search Home
Page    Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Print version ISSN 0042-9686   VAN ZIMMEREN, Esther; VERBEURE,
Birgit; MATTHIJS, Gert  and  VAN OVERWALLE, Geertrui. A clearing
house for diagnostic testing: the solution to ensure access to
and use of patented genetic inventions?. Bull World Health Organ
[online]. 2006, vol.84, n.5, pp. 352-359. ISSN 0042-9686.  In
genetic diagnostics, the emergence of a so-called "patent
thicket" is imminent. Such an overlapping set of patent rights
may have restrictive effects on further research and development
of diagnostic tests, and the provision of clinical diagnostic
services. Currently, two models that may facilitate access to
and use of patented genetic inventions are attracting much
debate in various national and international fora: patent pools
and clearing houses. In this article, we explore t