Avoiding a conflict between open dissemination and access to scientific discoveries and the protection of inventors' rights is critical to furthering scientific progress and enhancing human health. It also is critical that as science evolves, we stop to assess whether the appropriate mechanisms to prevent such a conflict remain in place. This report is just such an assessment—a marker in time that looks at the state of genomic and proteomic research and the current policies and practices promoting or restricting the dissemination of scientific information, tools, and products, and asks, "are there any storms over the horizon?"
Copyright © 2006, National Academy of Sciences.