The Australian Senate Committee responsible for reviewing the Human Genes and Biological Materials Bill has finally tabled their report.  The Bill proposed to exclude "biological materials including their components and derivatives" as patentable subject matter in Australia.

 

The report had a single recommendation that "the Senate should not pass the Bill".

 

The report included a dissenting opinion by three of the four senators who proposed the Bill.  The dissenting opinion included an amendment such that the proposed exclusion only relates to biological materials identical to those which exist in nature.  Time will tell whether supporters of the Bill, amended or otherwise, take this matter further which we understand would most likely be in the form of requesting the Bill be debated in the Senate.

 

Click here to view the Australian Senate Committee's report.