Original news and analysis on international IP policy
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.
The United States Chamber of Commerce this week released a letter urging the US government to take a series of steps to boost jobs in America, including passing controversial legislation to allow the US to unilaterally crack down on international websites it deems to be in violation of US intellectual property rights. But not everyone agrees this is the best approach.
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.
The United States Department of Justice today announced it has filed an antitrust lawsuit to block US telecommunications company AT&T from acquiring one of its top rivals, Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile. The Justice Department cited likely harm to innovation and consumers as reasons.
Efforts to modernise Britain’s creaking copyright regime sped up over the summer as the government accepted recommendations for major changes to the system, Parliament opened an inquiry into the matter, and the Intellectual Property Office said updating the rules could significantly boost the UK economy.
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.
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.
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.
The Recording Industry Association of America today announced that Cary Sherman has been named chairman and CEO amid claims that the music industry is looking up. Sherman takes over for Mitch Bainwol, who resigned to become CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
Across the world, the Caribbean is renowned for its unique flavors in music and entertainment, its beaches, cricket, and its commonly acclaimed fun and sun. While these are well-deserved, and are sources of just pride, this common perception provides foliage which bars the examination and explanation of the real problems and needs in intellectual property in the Caribbean, writes attorney Abiola Inniss.
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.
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.