R. Wadley wrote: <Just because some company files a
>patent means everybody else is forced to use that product?>

Sorry to say, this is the case. If you look around the clinical lab you will find dozens of examples of patented procedures. Histology is just now feeling that pinch. The best example is PCR. It is a patented procedure and certain reagents are only available as part of a patented kit.

There was a long discussion on tyramide on the Histonet last year and the person who invented it got in on the discussion. The main problem he was concerned with was people who promoted circumventing the patent by telling people how to get around it. That is a big no-no.
---
Tim Morken, B.A. EMT(MSA), HTL(ASCP)
MS-G32
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30333

PH: 404-639-3964
FAX: 404-639-3043

other email: tim9@cdc.gov



On Mon, 22 May 2000 11:38:21   R.Wadley wrote:
>At 12:14 05/18/2000 EDT, TSAGURU@aol.com wrote:
>>The recent discourse on the Histonet concerning Catalyzed Reporter
>Deposition technology, commercially known as Tyramide Signal ....>
>
>	Dear TSAGURU@aol.com,
>
>	I'm sorry I don't get your arguement.  Just because some company files a
>patent means everybody else is forced to use that product? & is denied the
>opportunity to modify/improve the idea or its purpose?  Why can't any
>individual in any lab contribute to the body of knowledge of science
>through the advancement of an old idea into a new one?  Lets make this
>clear I'm saying information from a journal.  I'm not saying nip down to
>the patent office & use the patent information.  Frankly anybody who can
>make a method work from the information given in the Methods section of a
>journal article deserves a medal, its the first part of a paper to be
>minimised.
>
>	What is the point of publishing anything at all if the knowledge cannot be
>used by the scientific community?  I thought the whole idea about
>publishing was to let other scientists see what you were doing & if they
>can, comment, improve, or disprove it.  You seem to be saying that this
>whole process goes out the window if some commercial company claims a
>patent.  As far as I am concerned if there is information published in a
>journal, ie public knowledge, why can't I access & use this knowledge?  OK,
>if I use that knowledge to create a product for my commercial benefit,
>thats wrong.  But, if I use the idea, & acknowledge my sources, & improve
>the idea or use the idea in a better way, whats the hassle, haven't I
>expanded scientific knowledge?  
>
>	My 2 cents worth
>
>	Regards
>
>	Rob W.
>R. Wadley, B.App.Sc. M.L.S, Grad.Dip.Sc.MM
>Laboratory Manager
>Cellular Analysis Facility
>School of Microbiology & Immunology
>UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
>Ph (BH) 	+61 (2) 9385 3517
>Ph (AH)	+61 (2) 9564 0570
>Fax 	+61 (2) 9385 1591
>Mobile	0411 874 470
>E-mail	r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
>www	http://www.micro.unsw.edu.au/caf.html
>
>


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