by Bruce A. Lehman
President, International Intellectual Property Institute
Washington, D.C.

Presented to the Conference on the International Patent System
World Intellectual Property Organization
Geneva, 2002/03/27

There are many reasons as to why the global patent system has reached a state of crisis, but is there a solution? Bruce Lehman, President of the International Intellectual Property Institute discusses the issues that have lead up to the current crisis and how the creation of an cooperative global virtual patent search/examination and prosecution authority under the auspices of WIPO could help to create a more equitable and inexpensive patent system that would draw on the resources of many countries and help to level out the playing field for innovators from all countries.

(C) Bruce A. Lehman 2002