Human Stem Cell - European National Innovation Systems and Patents
The purpose of this paper is for the reader to realise how national innovation systems are deeply intertwined with the legal background of a country and to understand the processes that involves national innovation systems specifically regarding the stem cell / genetics research and how the need for specific community law must be considered targeting the stem cell patents. The legal part will try to answer: Why is it important given the actual state of the European stem cell national innovation systems for the European Commission to take a stand and tackle issues regarding the patenting of the human stem cell innovations? This is done from a country industry analysis (business approach) and then linking it with competition law from a community stand point of view (that tackles biotechnology issues). In order to achieve this the paper is divided into three separate analyses beginning with a theoretical background of general biotechnology / genetic terms that will enable the reader to have a general understanding of the importance of this kind or research ( genetics / stem cell research). The chosen countries case studies exemplify very diverse economies and development perspective from the traditionally R&D intensive to the least and from the biggest countries in Europe to one of the smallest, thus giving cultural, legal, economic and scientific variety.