Congress Shortsighted Cuts Hit USPTO Hard

The US Patent and Trademark Office is already behind on US patent filings, and had planned programs to speed up filing and to work on the backlog. Now that is all on the backburner. The US PTO has canceled the Track 1 accelerated patent prosecution, frozen hiring, and canceled opening another office. As President Obama had noted that innovation and growing jobs was greatly needed to continue creating jobs in the weak economy I am left puzzled by Congress' deeps cuts to the US PTO's funding? This is only more disappointing because the US PTO is a government office that actually turns a nice profit and is fee funded not taxpayer funded.

Nano-Medical Treatments: A Beginning

IBM has a breakthrough treatment for MSRA using nanotechnology. IBM's nanomedical breakthrough is potentially fighting this disease better than conventional antibiotics. For the press release see http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/34144.wss.

Prioritized Examination Track, Track 1 is a Go!

On April 4, 2011 the PTO issued a final rule to implement prioritized examination upon an applicant’s request and payment of a $4,000 request fee and other filing fees. The New rule is effective May 4, 2011. For details see the USPTO website.

A case to follow: Association of Molecular Pathology, et al. v United States Patent and Trademark Office, et al

This case could change the rules of the game in gene patenting. Here is one article on it. http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/04/nature-vs-nurture-the-continuing-saga-of-the-gene-patenting-case/73359/

And another http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/04/us-court-puts-gene-patents-under.html?ref=hp.

And the Wall Street Journal http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2011/04/04/the-case-of-the-day-can-genes-be-patented/.

Organic Farmers on the Offensive Against Monsanto

The preemptive action was filed March 29, 2011 to prevent Monsanto from being able to sue them on patent infringement when or if their crops are contaminated by the patented seeds from Monsanto. However the statements in the cases suggest it is more about the political, social, and ethical battle by organic farmers fighting against genetically modified foods/plants Monsanto creates.

http://www.pubpat.org/osgatavmonsantofiled.htm

More on the Proposed Senate Bill, The American Invents Act

The Blog Patent Docs has a good article on the Senate bill S. 23, the "America Invents Act". It is worth checking out at http://www.patentdocs.org/2011/03/reform-at-the-us-patent-and-trademark-office.html .

Nanotechnology Hits Washington Lawyer Magazine

The March 2011 Washington Lawyer magazine article "Nanotechnology: Small Science, Huge Hurdles" is the cover page article written by Sarah Kellogg. The article is also found online at http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/march_2011/nanotechnology.cfm. Definitely worth a read for the legal and ethical issues facing Nanotechnology.