Steven C. Price, Ph.D.CEO/PresidentP.O.Box 548
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.Washington, DC 20044-0548
Public Interest Intellectual Property
Advisors, Inc.
(PIIPA)
Facilitate the linking of free IP assistance with developing countries
and public service non-profits
PIIPA
DONORS
ApplicantsIP Corps
PIIPA STRUCTURE
• What does PIIPA involve?– Outreach to:
• IP professionals• Applicants
– Matching service
IP Corps
• IP professionals of repute around the world
• Relationship with PIIPA– Commitment of time pro bono– Gain access to applicant referrals
Applicants
Nature of potential PIIPA Applicants:• Intergovernmental organizations (e.g. WHO, UNAIDS,
FAO)• Developing country governments and government agencies• Research institutions such as universities and public laboratories
(primarily government funded and in developing countries)• International research consortia (E.g., CGIAR centers, disease
specific public private partnerships, ICBG’s)• Non governmental organizations and non-profit entities (e.g.,
MIHR, PIPRA)• Qualified small-to-medium enterprises• Qualified individual innovators
What PIIPA Can Do
Patent prosecution, counseling, licensing and litigation Trademark prosecution, counseling, licensing and litigation Copyright counseling, licensing and litigation Trade secret protection, counseling, licensing and litigation Legislative counseling (i.e., drafting, legislation and regulation
in relation to IP matters) National, international & multinational dispute resolution
Potential Areas of Activity
Issues affecting developing countries and related to: Health (e.g. access to patented medicines)
Agriculture (e.g. license of transgenic technology)
Biodiversity (e.g. biodiversity prospecting agreements)
Scientific Research (e.g. patents on inventions by academics)
Traditional/Indigenous knowledge (e.g. art and music)
Software & technology licensing (e.g. website ownership and disputes)
PIIPA now has over 400 members in its IP Corps
PIIPA has completed or has in progress over 100 projects around the
world
In 2002 PIIPA was approached by the Kenyan Wildlife Service
to help with an alleged misappropriation of biological
materials by Genencor International and Proctor &
Gamble
PIIPA was approached by Peru to help determine if a New Jersey company’s patent on maca root
was valid
Examine Compatibility of National Laws with International
Law
PIIPA was contacted by Vietnam, Jamaica, and Sierra Leone to determine if PIIPA could obtain assistance to help those countries review and write new intellectual
property laws.
PIIPA arranged with academic legal clinics to work on these projects
International Alpaca Association in Peru: PIIPA was contacted to identify pro bono assistance in a dispute regarding a Certification Mark.
African Agricultural Technology Foundation has contacted PIIPA for
assistance in performing an ownership analysis on several
patents.
PIIPA is investigating the establishment of a international
Alternative Dispute Resolution system that would be pro bono,
provide training to mediators, and focus on intellectual property; project
with Harvard Law School
Brazilian Institute for International Trade Law and
Development, as well as Amazon Link approached PIIPA
to facilitate the revocation of several trademarks in Europe and the United States including Acai
Rapadura, and Cupuacu
PIIPA has conducted a world-wide survey of the need for
Intellectual Property Assistance
The survey went by email to about 7000 people and by
surface mail to an additional 800 people
Question 14. Which Categories Best Describe You &/or Your Organization? (n=@500)
10.6
6.8
4.0
24.1
21.1
3.6
6.2
36.5
2.8
15.1
10.6
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0D
eve
lop
ing
Co
un
try
Go
ve
rnm
en
tal
Org
an
iza
tio
n
De
ve
lop
ing
Co
un
try
No
n-G
ove
rnm
en
tal
Org
an
iza
tio
n
Inte
rgo
ve
rnm
en
tal
Org
an
iza
tio
n
Aca
de
mic
In
stitu
tio
n
Re
se
arc
h In
stitu
tio
n
De
ve
lop
ed
Co
un
try
Go
ve
rnm
en
tal
Org
an
iza
tio
n
Oth
er
No
n-
Go
ve
rnm
en
tal
Org
an
iza
tio
n
IP P
rofe
ssio
na
l
Se
rvic
es O
rga
niz
atio
n
(La
w/P
ate
nt F
irm
)
Ph
ila
nth
rop
ic
Org
an
iza
tio
n
Ind
ivid
ua
l
Oth
er
How many such organizations are you aware of that need intellectual property assistance?
47.3%
12.2%
5.0%
0.9%
9.5%
5.9%
19.4%
B e tw e e n 11 & 2 0
B e t w e e n 6 & 1 0
B etw e e n 1 & 5
Between 21 & 50
Between 51 & 100
Over 100
Prefer not to answer
The 500 respondents said they were aware of between 4,910 and 8,145
organizations in need of IP professional assistance
For what types of intellectual property is assistance required?
25.529.7
24.726.5 25.9
19.3
12.4
40.0
2.0
27.5
17.717.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45P
ate
nts
Co
pyri
gh
ts
Tra
de
ma
rks
Ge
og
rap
hic
De
sig
na
tio
ns
Tra
de
Se
cre
ts
Tra
ditio
na
l K
no
wle
dg
e
Pla
nt V
ari
ety
Pro
tectio
n
Bio
log
ica
l M
atte
rs
Ge
ne
tic R
eso
urc
es
Fo
lklo
re
Pe
rfo
rme
r's R
igh
ts
Oth
er
32.9
22.5
34.1
19.1
15.3
23.5
8.8
14.9
18.7
31.9
2.4
37.8
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Ad
vic
e R
eg
ard
ing
IP
Rig
hts
Ob
tain
ing
IP
Rig
hts
Ch
alle
ng
ing
IP
Rig
hts
Lic
en
cin
g
IP L
itig
atio
n
Me
dia
tio
n
Dra
ftin
g L
eg
ista
tio
n
Tra
inin
g IP
Ma
na
ge
me
nt
Inva
lid
ity O
pin
ion
s
Fre
ed
om
to
Op
era
te O
pin
ion
s
Fa
ir U
se
Op
tio
ns
Oth
er
For what matters is assistance required?
The Survey asked respondents to identify specific needs
132 responded with “understandable” specific needs
IP Type & Matters Needing Assistance (132)
IP Policy
Challenging IP Rights
Drafting Legislation
IP Litigation
Technology Transfer
Mediation
Licensing
Plant Variety Protection
Performer’ Rights
Genetic Resources
Biological Material s
Traditional Knowledge
Trade Secrets
Copyright
Training in IP Management
Obtaining IP Rights
Advice Regarding IP Rights
Patents
29%
2%12%4%1%
4%3%
5%1%
2%
13%
2% 4%4%
3%5% 8%
1%
Projects for Which Assistance Has Been Sought from PIIPA (n = 69)
13
4.3
17.4
14.5
8.7
1.4
5.8
7.2 7.2
1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4
2.9 2.9
1.4
2.9
1.4 1.4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20P
ate
nts
Co
pyri
gh
t
Tra
dem
ark
s
Ad
vic
e R
eg
ard
ing
IP
Rig
hts
Lic
en
sin
g
Med
iati
on
Tain
ing
In
IP
Man
ag
em
en
t
Fre
ed
om
to
Op
era
te
Op
inio
ns
Nati
on
al IP
Law
s
Init
ial D
iscu
ssio
ns
Bio
pir
acy
Help
Wit
h S
em
inars
PIIP
A S
urv
ey
Hu
man
itari
an
Use
Help
wit
h c
on
so
rtia
Fre
e T
rad
e A
naly
sis
Tax A
dvic
e
Wri
tin
g P
roje
cts
Meeti
ng
s A
ssis
tan
ce
Revie
win
g P
ers
on
nel
Dis
pu
tes
13
4.3
17.414.5
40
27.525.5
37.8
8.3
3.8
0
29.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Patents Copyright Trademarks Advice Regarding IP Rights
PIIPA Projects
Survey Respondents Said They Knew About
Specific Projects Respondents Actually Identified
Comparison of Assistance Requested
Comparison of Assistance Requested
5.8
8.7
1.4
7.2
31.9
34.1
15.3
23.5
12
16.6
1.5 0.75
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Training IP Management Licensing Mediation National IP Laws
PIIPA Projects
Survey Respondents Said They Knew About
Projects Respondents Actually Identified
Conclusions
The range of types of projects observed within PIIPA concordant
with survey
The need for pro bono IP assistance is huge
Trademarks emerge as an area of greatest need; traditional knowledge
(?), biodiversity, geographic designations least
Larger need for assistance with national laws than anticipated by
respondents
Future Analysis
In person surveys
Venable LLP
National Institutes of Health
Smithsonian Institution
Rockefeller Foundation
Sigrid Rausing Trust
U.K. Department for International Development
PIIPA would like to thank its sponsors: