§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has funded this year to consider the impact of patenting biotechnology inventions on health care provision; for what purpose such studies were funded; and when they will be published. [77875]
§ Ms BlearsThe Department has commissioned an independent study into the impact and management of intellectual property rights within the health care sector. This fulfils the commitment made in the Government's response to the report on human genetic databases from the Select Committee on Science and Technology in the other place. The study is proceeding in two stages. The first stage is complete and a report entitled "Identification of Intellectual Property Rights Relating to Healthcare" was published in September 2002. A conference to discuss the outputs of the second stage of the study and to build a consensus on possible actions is being planned for 12 February 2003.