Ping Shan

Biotechnology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, China
Author    Correspondence author
GMO Biosafety Research, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 6   
Received: 26 Oct., 2024    Accepted: 05 Dec., 2024    Published: 22 Dec., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Genetically modified organism (GMO) technology has become an important part of modern agriculture, but it also brings complex intellectual property (IP) issues. These issues include patent disputes, strict licensing rules, gene spread to other crops, and trade disputes between countries. This study reviews the common types of intellectual property rights in GMO technology and related disputes, analyzes the application of GMO in-tellectual property rights in the current global legal system, and uses case studies to show that intellectual property protection can also cause social problems while promoting innovation. The study also explores pos-sible paths to build better international consensus and fairer conflict resolution mechanisms. The main types of intellectual property rights in GMO technology include patents on gene sequences, specific traits, and plant varieties. These patents help promote technological innovation, but they may also restrict certain groups from using and accessing the technology. Common disputes include patent infringement, unfair licensing terms, unintentional gene mixing, and inconsistent regulatory standards across countries. Current international agreements, such as the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), and the Convention on Bio-logical Diversity, do not fully address these issues. They often find it difficult to strike a balance between en-couraging innovation and protecting biodiversity, and differences in local regulations also increase the com-plexity of global trade. This study suggests that future intellectual property rules should be more flexible and take into account the development of emerging tools such as CRISPR and synthetic biology. Fairer and more powerful rules can not only promote scientific and technological innovation, but also ensure fair access to technology, help achieve sustainable agricultural development, and enable transgenic technology to better respond to global food security and environmental challenges.

GMO Technology; Intellectual Property Disputes; International Legal Framework; Sustainable Agriculture; Biosafety and Equityr