A niche blog dedicated to the issues that arise when supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) extend patents beyond their normal life -- and to the respective positions of patent owners, investors, competitors and consumers. The blog also addresses wider issues that may be of interest or use to those involved in the extension of patent rights. You can email The SPC Blog here

Tuesday 26 July 2011

The Bucknell Book

In "A new book -- and a competition", The SPC Blog reviewed the new Oxford University Press publication, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Chemical Inventions: World Protection and Exploitation, a massive two-volume work covering no fewer than 12 jurisdictions which is edited by Duncan Bucknell (for details click here).

There was also a competition, for which The SPC Blog offered Bucknell as a prize. Competitors were asked to state which country should be included in the second edition as the 13th jurisdiction, explaining in not more than 30 words why it should be included. No fewer than 27 responses were received, with readers generally agreeing that Brazil was the next country to include.  Voters cast their choices as follows:
15 Brazil
3   Israel, Russia, Switzerland
1, Belgium, France, Malta
There were some imaginative entries.  From Mary Smillie (Bird & Bird) we received this:
"There once was an editor called Buck-nell
Who produced a book which was swell
It covered the world with great skill
But left out Brazil
The next edition should include it - then it would sell!"
Antony Gallafent (Gallafents) was quite coy, refusing to nominate a country at all. As he observed, "If I told you that, you would know where I am going to manufacture my generic products ..."

A cheeky nomination came from Johan Brants (brantsandpatents.com, Ghent), who explains: "The missing country is of course Belgium. We have the only “IPee-man” in the world (illustrated, right), with the most billable hours too".

The winner, however, is Vijaykumar Shivpuje (IPM, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals), who nominates Brazil because of the following factors:
  • BARRIER OF LANGUAGE
  • RECENT REFORMS IN IP
  • ANVISA’S ROLE
  • (Z)STEADY PHARMA/BIOTECH GROWTH
  • IN SYNC WITH BRIC (EMERGING MARKETS)
  • (3rd) LARGEST AMERICAN PHARMACUETICAL MARKET
Well done, Vijaykumar! Your prize will be posted to you shortly.

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