Oxford University Press presents a new book providing a broader view on patent law and the role of patents in society. Central message from the author of the book is that “there’s so much we don’t know for sure, even after all these years of granting, revoking, licensing, and fighting over patents. Do patents really spur invention, disclosure, and innovation? Do they, on balance, benefit the public by speeding up discoveries, or do they mostly serve to limit public access to things that would have been invented anyway? ” The author invites readers to think for themselves, and not necessarily to agree with him.

From the blurb: “In Patent Wars, Thomas Cotter, one of America’s leading patent law scholars, offers an accessible, lively, and up-to-date examination of the current state of patent law, showing how patents affect everything from the food we eat to the cars we drive to the devices that entertain and inform us. Beginning with a general overview of patent law and litigation, the book addresses such issues as the patentability of genes, medical procedures, software, and business methods; the impact of drug patents and international treaties on the price of health care; trolls; and the smartphone wars.

“Taking into account both the benefits and costs that patents impose on society, Cotter highlights the key issues in current debates and explores what still remains unknown about the effect of patents on innovation.

“An essential one-volume analysis of the topic, Patent Wars explains why patent laws exist in the first place and how we can make the system better.”

More information can be found here.