Stem Cells For All

Every now and then somebody comes along and gets a little testy with patenting, trying to patent something in such a way that would have everybody paying a license fee if they used the same technology, and in this patent case it would have been hard to patent around the technology in question. In a landmark ruling, the European Patent Office has turned down and rejected a patent covering the use of human embryonic stem cells on the grounds that it would be contrary to "public order or morality". The patent in question would have covered virtually any application of human embryonic stem cells or cells derived from them. However, this patent was upheld by the USPTO earlier this year and the patent holders seemed very open to talking about those fees.

• Europe rejects patent governing use of embryonic stem cells
• Stem Cell Patents Upheld by USPTO