The increasing importance of Intellectual Property in Transfusion Medicine

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) originated in Edinburgh in the 1920's by dentist Jack Copland. Since that time the scope of Transfusion Medicine has broadened significantly to accommodate advances in technologies such as cell isolation, culture and manipulation. Many transfusion services, including SNBTS, now provide expertise both in the traditional field of blood transfusion and the newer, wider field of human cell (including 'adult' and embryonic stem cells) and tissue procurement and culture - in all the new science of "regenerative medicine". This paper describes the importance of Intellectual Property in the provision of Transfusion Medicine today and provides guidance on the management of Intellectual Property so that advances in the field have the best chance of successful translation into clinical practice.