Improved Patent Coordination: USPTO and FDA Cooperation for Drugs.
This Act establishes a permanent interagency task force to enhance information sharing between the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The goal is to ensure that patents for new drugs and biological products are granted based on more complete and accurate scientific data. While technical, these changes can indirectly accelerate access to innovative medicines and increase certainty regarding their legal status, benefiting patients and medical advancement.
Key points
Establishment of the Interagency Task Force on Patents between the USPTO and the FDA, focusing on patents related to human drugs and biological products.
The Task Force will facilitate the sharing of scientific, technical, and process information, ensuring patent examiners have access to relevant FDA data (e.g., product approvals and labeling updates).
Implementation of confidentiality protocols to safeguard sensitive pharmaceutical company data shared between the agencies from unauthorized disclosure.
The USPTO is required to submit a report to Congress within 4 years, assessing the effectiveness of this coordination and recommending potential similar coordination with other federal agencies.
Expired
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