In this age where the advancement and innovation of science and technology is heavily sought after as an ideal, and the “progress of science” specifically promoted by the US Constitution, it seems altogether inappropriate that Verizon was able to sue Vonage for damages amounting to US$58 million for infringing 3 of its patents that […]
The past two decades have been marked by extreme technological advances.¦lt;br /> The internet has opened many doors in the way of business transactions, availability of resources and research and most notably a new communication ability and efficiency. In 2003, Linden Research Inc. launched Second Life which is one of the newest developments in […]
The ever-growing world of online social networking is a creature with many faces. From organizing events to finding companionship, programs such as Facebook offer something for everybody. But as the recent fiasco involving Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers shows, beneath the superficial glitter lies a dark and potentially dangerous side to the technology. […]
While it may be somewhat premature to criticize the government on their plans to criminalize identity theft, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson’s recent announcement seems to demonstrate the government’s rather narrow appreciation for the scope of the problem. Based on a reading of the press release provided by the Office of the Minister of Justice […]
Am I being naïve? I hope not. I sincerely hope that I am not being naïve believing in the fairness and equity of the law, and believing that the courts are actually being just – especially when they judge in cases involving humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross. The company Johnson and Johnson, the […]
In 2003, the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development ("Tufts") estimated the cost to develop a new drug to be in excess of $850 million.¦lt;br /> Today, that figure is likely well into the billions. Tufts also found that approximately 20% of new drugs that enter clinical testing eventually receive U.S. marketing approval. […]
Upon discovery of the J. Craig Venter Institute’s (Institute) application for patent protection on a synthetic life form, called “Mycoplasma laboratorium”, the ETC Group promptly announced its intention to challenge the patent and urged the relevant authorities to reject the application as contrary to public morality and safety. The ETC Group does not contend that […]
India’s rejection of Novartis’ claim on drug improvements highlights the flexibility of India’s patent laws. Such flexibility stands in sharp contrast to the World Trade Organization’s efforts to set standards for intellectual property regulation (via TRIPS agreement) and has enabled India to become a worldwide producer of cheap drugs. Various health agencies have proclaimed the […]
In the early days of the dot.com boom, internet commerce presented opportunities for information providers (websites) to sell inexpensive digital goods to web-users and have the benefit of reaching a far larger consumer base than just a local market. But with the growing free-rider ethos of the World Wide Web and the increasingly burdensome […]
In Canada, it has been a long-standing policy to place a levy on recordable devices such as tapes and blank CDs and redistribute those proceeds to recording companies and the artists that they represent. The core purpose of this practice is to compensate artist for private copying that these blank media enable. However, technology has […]