Monthly Archives: September 2014

Criminal Convictions in Salmonella Case

A U.S. federal jury convicted three former food company executives of several crimes relating to a 2008-09 outbreak of Salmonella infections resulting from the production and distribution of adulterated peanut butter. See Verdict Form, United States of America v. Parnell, No.  1:13-CR-12 (M.D. Ga. … Continue reading

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3 Months in Spanish Prison for Plant Variety Rights Infringement

On July 10, 2014, a criminal court in southwestern Spain sentenced a grower of carnation flowers to three months in prison, plus a fine of € 360 EUR, for infringing plant variety rights in violation of Article 274.3 of the … Continue reading

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Ecuador: Change Constitution to Protect Traditional Knowledge

  Ecuador’s national government has proposed to amend the country’s constitution to provide special protections against the misappropriation of traditional knowledge and biological diversity. Propuesta de enmiendas constitucionales sobre la protección de los Saberes Ancestrales y la Biodiversidad del Ecuador, Secretaría … Continue reading

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Australian Full Federal Court Upholds Myriad Gene Patent

Today, in D’Arcy v Myriad Genetics Inc [2014] FCAFC 115, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia upheld the validity of Myriad Genetics’s Australian patent on methods and materials relating to the human  gene known as BRCA1. THE BRCA1 GENE. … Continue reading

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Guatemalan Congress Repeals Plant Variety Rights Law

Today the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala voted to repeal in its entirety the Law for the Protection of Plant Variety Rights that it approved less than three months ago. Congreso de la República aprueba de urgencia nacional derogatoria del … Continue reading

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Guatemalan Protesters Demand Repeal of Plant Variety Rights Law

In demonstrations today in Guatemala City, Guatemala, public officials and thousands of residents of indigenous communities demanded that the national legislature repeal the recently-enacted Plant Variety Rights Law. See Diputados se comprometen a derogar Ley Monsanto, Prensa Libre (2 Sept. … Continue reading

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