51852aca_y_and_Natural_Resources_Center__Course_Description
[0] Spring 2015 [Course] 5367 Biotechnology & the Law [Credit] 3 [Course Area] Health Law Intellectual Property and Information Law [Course Description] 
Note: The Biotechnology and Law course taught by Professor Barbara Evans also counts as an EENR course. This course will count towards EENR LLM credits for all UHLC students. This course provides a practice-oriented survey of the laws and regulations affecting innovation and commercialization of advanced biotechnologies, including agricultural products that rely on recombinant DNA technology (GMO foods, "biopharming"), genetic tests and advanced medical technologies. It can be taken as an elective by students interested in controversies with genetically modified food and advanced biomedical technologies, or as a way to gain practical knowledge if you wish to pursue a career in Houston's growing life sciences and biotechnology industries. It explores the role of major agencies like the NIH, EPA, FDA, USDA, and others in managing environmental and human-safety risks; First Amendment constraints on regulation; and the limits of litigation as a tool to protect the public. The second major topic is regulation by FDA and under the CLIA clinical laboratory regulations--both are extremely hot topics right now as major regulatory changes are in the works--and strategic choices among business models that affect clients' overall regulatory burdens. The third major topic is ownership, control, and pricing of data and biospecimens, which are critical resources for biotechnology innovation and for measuring impacts on health and environment. The final topic is a set of concerns relating to protection and commercialization of biotech IP. This course does not duplicate your IP courses, but explores a group of important topics affecting the application of IP principles to the life sciences industries.
University of Houston Law Center - Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Center
Course Description