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April 2008 Paws Up! To the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for rejecting the patent application, #6,924,413, which sought to patent live rabbits and other animals whose eyes are purposely damaged for research/testing purposes.
The patent application rejection comes after three major interest groups, including the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) brought a lawsuit against the patent. A press release by the AAVS states that the USPTO, "choose to avoid the issue, focusing instead on the groups' case that numerous prior scientific publications demonstrated that a rabbit patent was neither novel nor nonobvious, as required by patent law."
NHES is very pleased to learn that the USPTO has not issued a patent on live rabbits for research purposes as we believe these animals to be sentient beings deserving of humane treatment, including not being subjected to what is often very cruel, and inapplicable and inaccurate research. Since the late 1980's, the agency has reportedly issued nearly 700 patents on live animals. NHES anxiously awaits the day the USPTO recognizes that such patents are incongruent to the humane, respectful, and responsible treatment of animals.
We urge you to write the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to thank the agency for its decision on this particular application, and urge the agency to discontinue issuing patents on live animals in the future.
Jon W. Dudas, Director
Sources: http://www.aavs.org/images/pressrelease_Patent_on_Rabbits_Rejected.pdf http://www.stopanimalpatents.org/action_alerts_1.php
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