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BIO Endorses Efforts To Ensure High-Quality Patents

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2001) – Lila Feisee, director of government relations and intellectual property at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), today issued the following statement regarding efforts by the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property to ensure continued issuance of high-quality patents:

“Valid patents are the linchpins of the biotechnology industry, not only for attracting venture capital, but also for generating income to support future research and development of needed biomedical products.

“BIO believes that any attempt to enhance patent quality, or indeed maintain current patent quality, should be coupled with maximum PTO funding. The PTO needs to receive funding in a manner that will permit it to engage in multi-year planning to improve the size and quality of the examining corps, as well as the infrastructure needed to support the examining corps.

“Resolving funding issues, among other steps, will help the PTO to improve quality and timeliness of patent examination even in the face of the heavy increase in the size and complexity of patent applications expected to be filed by members of BIO. In the face of inadequate funding, the PTO will be forced to place quality-enhancing initiatives on the back burner in order to meet its congressional goals.”

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) represents more than 950 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

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