Patent reform is still very much in play in both the Senate and in the House. Senate Bill 515 (S. 515) has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a wide variety of groups are lobbying to get the bill scheduled for floor debate. The provisions for post-grant review represent a major stumbling block for universities and companies that want to pass a patent reform bill that retains a strong patent system. Lisa Kuuttila, President & CEO of STC.UNM (STC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of New Mexico (UNM), responsible for technology-transfer at UNM, has a number of concerns with S. 515.
STC and has sent an open letter which argues in favor of strong patents to New Mexico’s congressional delegation, President Obama, and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees. The
letter is posted on the STC Web site and invites individuals, organizations and companies to sign on in support.
In a letter to AUTM members, Ms. Kuuttila states that “the university associations are to be commended for their efforts on behalf of university interests in general, but expectations and hopes held at the time of the Senate Committee vote have not materialized.” Read Ms. Kuuttila's full letter to AUTM members
here.
A number of universities have contacted their congressional representatives, some in support of bringing the bill to the floor and some who have concerns about first-to-file and post-grant provisions in the proposed legislation. Senate judiciary staff and interested parties have had several meetings and are attempting to reach a compromise that works for all users of the patent system. While those talks have not led to any concrete compromise proposals, the parties have agreed to keep trying.
I would ask that you look at Lisa’s Web site, where you will find many articles and links to more information on patent reform issues, and contact your government relations person to educate them on your concerns with changes to the patent system. In order for us to be successful, we need a strong patent system and a Bayh-Dole structure to turn university inventions into products that benefit our professors, the university, our state’s economy and humankind.