What question did this study set out to answer?

The review aims to analyze the ongoing discussions regarding the patenting of biological entities and related materials.

February 28, 2026

Goldstein, Jorge. Patenting Life: Tales from the Front Lines of Intellectual Property and the New Biology

Key Points

The review aims to analyze the ongoing discussions regarding the patenting of biological entities and related materials.
Provides a comprehensive review of the book's arguments.
Explores various legal, commercial, and social perspectives.
Examines specific examples of patenting living organisms and molecules.
Highlights the complexities of patenting living cells and organisms.
Reveals tensions between innovation and ethical considerations in intellectual property.
Discusses the potential consequences for biotechnology and research.

Abstract

Josh Lerner of Harvard University and NBER reviews “Patenting Life: Tales from the Front Lines of Intellectual Property and the New Biology” by Jorge Goldstein. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores the legal, commercial, and social debates surrounding the patenting of biological materials, whether living single cells, whole plants or animals, or the inert molecules that they produce or from which they are made.”

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Analyzing shared references across papers

Discussion

Authors

Josh Lerner

Journals

Journal of Economic Literature

Actions

Institutions

Harvard University

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Goldstein, Jorge. Patenting Life: Tales from the Front Lines of Intellectual Property and the New Biology

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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