Senate Takes Up Patent Reform; Chairman Vows To Fight Amendments
The United States Senate on Tuesday was debating patent reform legislation that would make the first significant reforms to the US patent system in nearly 60 years.
Intellectual Property Watch
Original news and analysis on international IP policy
Category Patents/Designs/Trade Secrets
US Patent Reform Cleared For Senate Vote, Likely This Week
The United States Senate voted to invoke cloture and limit debate on patent reform Tuesday night, with a vote of 93-5. The measure, HR 1249, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, now will go to the Senate floor for debate and final passage; a vote could happen as early as Thursday.
Indian Supreme Court To Hear Novartis Challenge To India’s Patent Law
The Indian Supreme Court today is expected to hear Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis’ case against a provision of Indian patent law aimed at preventing the extension of drug patents for minor changes in existing products, a practice known as evergreening.
EPIP Brussels Event Looks At Current Issues In IP Policy
The annual conference of the European Policy for Intellectual Property Association on 8-9 September in Brussels will bring together leading figures in the international IP community to look at contemporary issues in IP policy.
Autumn Brings Personnel Changes In Geneva
The annual summer shuffle of the mission staff in Geneva has been particularly active this year for those with responsibility for intellectual property rights, with several key diplomats packing their bags, and new ones arriving.
Alto Funcionário Discute Sobre Renúncia Ao Seu Cargo Na ANVISA, No Brasil, Devido à Política Sobre Patentes
Luis Carlos Wanderley Lima, funcionário sênior responsável pela política brasileira que expressa a opinião do Ministério da Saúde no referente à análise de pedidos de patente que possam ocasionar um impacto na saúde pública, renunciou recentemente em protesto contra as modificações na mencionada política. Em uma sessão de perguntas e respostas com a Intellectual Property Watch, ele conversou com relação a sua decisão.
Top Official Discusses Resignation From Brazil’s ANVISA Over Patent Policy
Luis Carlos Wanderly Lima, a senior official responsible for Brazil’s policy of giving a voice to its health ministry in the examination of patent applications with potential impact on public health, recently resigned in protest about changes to the policy. In a Q&A with Intellectual Property Watch, he discussed his decision.
UN Highlights IP Rights For Indigenous Peoples’ Day
In recognition of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the secretary of the United Nations on 9 August raised the complex issue of intellectual property rights and indigenous knowledge. The Director General of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization also issued a message straddling the issue of IP rights and community ownership of traditional knowledge and resources.
Getting The Most Value From Your Patent Claims
Preparing patents is both a science and an art. The science is often easy to recognize, if not always easy to understand. The art of properly expressing that science in the words of a patent claim is harder to evaluate and is more often overlooked, yet is crucial to the value of the patent, write Heather J. DiPietrantonio and Edmund J. Walsh.
US Senate Vote On Patent Reform Expected In September
The United States Senate is expected to hold a vote on a bill to modify US patent law, in part making it more closely aligned with international practices, according to Senate sources. But some are concerned the bill will not end patent fee diversion at the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Myriad Outcome: Winds Shift Again For Gene Patenting In The US
In a long-awaited decision, a United States federal appeals court has decided that US companies can patent breast cancer genes, reversing a previous ruling. The decision was not unanimous, with one of the three judges dissenting. But despite the attention the case has received, the ruling may have little impact on the biotechnology industry, according to analysts.
EU-India Agreement In WTO Dispute Raises Bar For EU Drug Seizures
India and the European Union announced a written agreement yesterday that puts more conditions on EU customs authorities before they can stop shipments of generic pharmaceuticals passing through Europe. No longer is the existence of an EU patent on passing generics sufficient cause to stop shipments. The agreement suspends a World Trade Organization dispute started by India last year.