Patenting Life Forms: Issues Surrounding the Plant Variety Protection Act

Abstract

This paper examines the issues surrounding the patenting of life forms, specifically the social and private costs and benefits of the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (Plant Variety Protection Act, 1970). The PVPA is a current issue, encompassing all the elements of the economic, social, and moral controversy aroused by the broader issue of patenting life forms generally.The subsequent sections of the paper outline the specific issues surrounding the PVPA, discuss the issue of plant patenting, present the arguments favoring and opposing plant patenting, and, finally, present an analysis of the major issues of the PVPA.