Patenting the sun: Enclosing the scientific commons and transforming the university - Ethical concerns

University and corporate interests have grown increasingly close during the past quarter century, particularly, but not exclusively so, in the life science areas. Legislation passed in 1980 specifically encouraged universities to seek patents on their basic science discoveries and to develop and license such patents. Universities are now significant players in the life sciences area, although the rewards are confined to a very small number of institutions. Questions arise concerning the influence of such commercial activities on the character of the universities, on their roles as public institutions, on the integrity of science and scientists, and on the progressive enclosing of the basic science commons, to which universities have traditionally been major contributors.