TY  - JOUR
AU  - Sampat, Bhaven
AU  - Williams, Heidi L
TI  - How Do Patents Affect Follow-On Innovation? Evidence from the Human Genome
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 21666
PY  - 2015
Y2  - October 2015
DO  - 10.3386/w21666
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w21666
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w21666.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Bhaven N. Sampat
Department of Health Policy and Management
Columbia University
722 W 168th Street, Room 486
New York, NY 10032
Tel: 212/305-7293
E-Mail: bns3@columbia.edu

Heidi L. Williams
Department of Economics
Stanford University
579 Jane Stanford Way
Office 323
Stanford, CA 94305
Tel: (650) 723-9303
E-Mail: hlwill@stanford.edu
AB  - We investigate whether patents on human genes have affected follow-on scientific research and product development. Using administrative data on successful and unsuccessful patent applications submitted to the US Patent and Trademark Office, we link the exact gene sequences claimed in each application with data measuring follow-on scientific research and commercial investments. Using this data, we document novel evidence of selection into patenting: patented genes appear more valuable—prior to being patented—than non-patented genes. This evidence of selection motivates two quasi-experimental approaches, both of which suggest that on average gene patents have had no quantitatively important effect on follow-on innovation.
ER  -