L. Martin Cloutier

Needed: models of biotechnology intellectual property

Although never uncontroversial, intellectual property rights in biotechnological innovation are once more the focus of intense debate. The debate has yet to reach any result, largely because of several important errors in the way that various disciplines approach it. These errors include making assumptions without empirical basis and conflating various intellectual property regimes. What is needed is a transdisciplinary integrated method to correct these errors. Such a method can be implemented through the construction of alternative models of intellectual property protection designed to balance the various social, ethical and economic constraints that affect biotechnology.

Informational Requirements and the Regulatory Process of Agricultural Biotechnology

This paper investigates the reinforcing and balancing regulatory pressures that are impinging on the performance of agricultural and food biotechnology-based activity in Canada. Regulatory agencies are in the process of adjusting their procedures to take into account disruptive innovations in biogenetics, proteomics, pharmacogenomics, and bioinformatics (Burrill and Company 2000; Christensen 1997; The Economist 2000).1 This adjustment has become necessary because governments need to balance emerging tensions between the informational needs of consumers and investors. Information requirements of the regulatory agencies are changing. Part ofthe outcome of the regulatory process is to satisfy the informational needs of consumers and investors concerning the technology. Regulators need information on health and safety of new biogenetics-based products (transgenic crops, feeds, and foods), consumers demand information about product characteristics, and investors are in need of information on intellectual property rights (lPR) and administrative process. The objective of this paper is to identify endogenous pressures, and their time delays, that are responsible for regulatory change in the plant agricultural biotechnologyarea. An influence diagram, the initial step ofthe system dynamics (SD) method, makes explicit the role of information flows as a limiting factor for use by the various parties, and as a means of controlling strategic transactions that influence efficiency and the distribution of wealth. This method is employed to clarify informational

Bayesian versus Frequentist statistical modeling: A debate for hit selection from HTS campaigns

The existing literature suggests the Bayesian-Frequentist debate could soon be involved in the prioritization of hits from HTS campaigns. The Bayesian-Frequentist debate reflects two archetypical attitudes regarding the process of conducting scientific and technological research. This review article covers recent advances in statistical analyses, currently in use, for hit selection in the drug discovery process. The impact of decisions (e.g. attrition) executed at early stages in the drug discovery process influences HTS performance in later development stages. It shows that, as the high content value of the information from HTS campaigns increases over time, the two statistical approaches aim to provide similar answers, but they might not succeed.

Costing bias in economic evaluations

Abstract Determining the cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions is key to the decision-making process in healthcare. Cost comparisons are used to demonstrate the economic value of treatment options, to evaluate the impact on the insurer budget, and are often used as a key criterion in treatment comparison and comparative effectiveness; however, little guidance is available to researchers for establishing the costing of clinical events and resource utilization. Different costing methods exist, and the choice of underlying assumptions appears to have a significant impact on the results of the costing analysis. This editorial describes the importance of the choice of the costing technique and it’s potential impact on the relative cost of treatment options. This editorial also calls for a more efficient approach to healthcare intervention costing in order to ensure the use of consistent costing in the decision-making process.

The effects of using system dynamics-based decision support models: testing policy-makers’ boundaries in a complex situation

Abstract Systems thinking and computer-based modelling systems are widely recognised as effective for solving complex problems, particularly for the potential changes they can trigger in decision-makers’ perception of where problems’ boundaries lie. Surprisingly, few studies have analysed their empirical effects on decision-making. This paper explores the effects of the use of a system dynamics-based decision support system (DSS) by decision-makers, focusing on boundary judgements, which indicate what issues and stakeholders are to be included in the decision analysis. The data were obtained from an experiment with 40 policy-makers, using a simulated case approach that focused on the complex biotechnology intellectual property system. They suggest that the use of such a DSS favours both the analysis of a greater range of perspectives and broader stakeholder participation, but does not strengthen either interdisciplinary integration or depth of stakeholder participation.

The financial value of corporations in a cobweb economy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a model and simulation results for the corporate financial value of an industry in a cobweb economy. Production‐consumption cycles affect profit and financial needs in terms of equity and debt capital, and thus corporate value over time. The model is applied to the Champagne industry.Design/methodology/approach – The paper simulates the financial value of Champagne makers by taking into account developments on the Champagne market and the short‐ and long‐term responses by input suppliers and Champagne makers. Financial modeling is combined with a vertical coordination model of production and consumption in a cobweb economy.Findings – This paper makes theoretical advances in modeling the impact of short‐ and long‐run temporal tensions in production decisions on the financial value of processors. Temporal tensions are central to the decisions made by input suppliers (grape growers) and processors (Champagne makers) as they negotiate in a context of vertical ...