Announcement: Decision, ACLU v. Myriad/US Patent & Trademark Office (PDF)

Intellectual Property: A Framework for Innovation

For over 200 years, intellectual property laws have been the driving force for innovation and progress in the United States. The biotechnology industry as we know it did not exist prior to the landmark Supreme Court decision of Diamond v. Chakrabarty of 1980. The court held that anything made by the hand of man was eligible for patenting. Since this decision, the biotechnology industry has flourished and continues to grow.

Biotechnology: Helping to Meet Global Health, Environmental Needs

The patent system fosters the development of new biotechnology products and discoveries, new uses for old products and employment opportunities for millions of Americans. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the biotechnology arena. Patents add value to laboratory discoveries, providing incentives for private sector investment into biotechnology development of new medicines and diagnostics for treatment and monitoring of intractable diseases, and agricultural and environmental products, to meet global needs. BIO takes an active role in educating policymakers, opinion leaders and the public at large, both in the U.S. and abroad, about the value of the biotechnology sector. Visit the links below to learn more about outside organizations.