[Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

Thu May 9 20:33:58 UTC 2024

Since the origin of the OTDP Rejection is judicial, is this simply an extrastatutory administrative over-reach?

What authority does the USPTO have to make new substantive rules outside of (a) implementing statutes and (b) ensuring compliance with extrastatutory judicial tinkering with the patent system?

Very truly yours,

Steven M. Hoffberg

Hoffberg & Associates

 <mailto:steve at hoffberglaw.com> steve at hoffberglaw.com

 <https://www.linkedin.com/in/hoffberg/> https://www.linkedin.com/in/hoffberg/

From: Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of Scott Nielson via Patentpractice
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 3:13 PM
To: For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: Scott Nielson <scnielson at outlook.com>
Subject: Re: [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

This seems targeted at drug patents and lowering the cost of drugs. It also seems that this will encourage more junk restriction requirements because applicants will be more accepting of junk restriction requirements and, consequently, examiners will be able to successfully issue junk restriction requirements more often (thereby making it easier for examiners to get counts).

Scott Nielson

801-660-4400

  _____

From: Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com <mailto:patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> > on behalf of Randall Svihla via Patentpractice <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com <mailto:patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com> >
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 12:31 PM
To: For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com <mailto:patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com> >
Cc: Randall Svihla <rsvihla at nsiplaw.com <mailto:rsvihla at nsiplaw.com> >
Subject: Re: [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

I haven't fully analyzed the effect of this, but my initial reaction is that it SUUUUUUUUUUUCKS.

If they do this, they need to shut down the office for a month and retrain the Examiners on how to make a proper nonstatutory double patenting rejection.  Most of the rejections they issue now are completely BOGUS.

Best regards,

Randall S. Svihla

NSIP Law

Washington, D.C.

From: Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com <mailto:patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> > On Behalf Of Suzannah K. Sundby via Patentpractice
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 2:22 PM
To: patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com <mailto:patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: Suzannah K. Sundby <suzannah at canadylortz.com <mailto:suzannah at canadylortz.com> >
Subject: [Patentpractice] Freaking Ridiculous: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

This is so freaking ridiculous.

It’s an attempt to limit continuations and prevent/reduce patents… basically what Dudas tried to do with continuation practice…

 <http://www.linkedin.com/in/ssundby/> Suzannah K. Sundby | Partner

 <http://www.canadylortz.com/> canady + lortz LLP

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Washington, DC 20007

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Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 2:17 PM
To: Suzannah K. Sundby <suzannah at canadylortz.com <mailto:suzannah at canadylortz.com> >
Subject: Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

The USPTO has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to add a new requirement for terminal disclaimers.

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News Brief

Proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice to promote innovation and competition

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to add a new requirement for terminal disclaimers filed to obviate (overcome) nonstatutory double patenting.

Under U.S. law, an inventor, patent owner or joint researchers may obtain more than one patent with claims that vary in only minor (patentably indistinct) ways from each other. The USPTO will reject such claims under “obviousness-type double patenting” (also known as “nonstatutory double patenting”) and will allow claims to issue only as long as the practice of obtaining similar claims across patents isn’t used to extend the patent exclusivity term or allow multiple parties to harass an alleged infringer. Both conditions aim to strike a balance between incentivizing innovation in the first instance while providing more certainty to competitors and the public.

The proposed rule responds to public feedback and proposes to add a third condition that would further promote innovation and competition by reducing the cost of separately challenging each patent in a group of multiple patents directed to indistinct variations of a single invention. Under the proposed rule, to overcome double patenting the patentee would need to agree that the patent with the terminal disclaimer will be enforceable only if the patent is not tied and has never been tied through one or more terminal disclaimers to a patent in which any claim has been finally held unpatentable or invalid over prior art. In addition to reducing costs, the proposed rule is expected to streamline and expedite patent disputes, narrow validity issues, and provide greater certainty to competitors and to the public. The proposed rule is prospective in nature and would apply to terminal disclaimers filed on or after the effective date of any final rule.

The USPTO recognizes that, as with any proposed rule change, patentees will need to consider and potentially adapt their practices. While the USPTO moves forward with rulemaking, the Office is considering ways the Office can support stakeholders. Comments on the proposed rule, as well as comments on USPTO practice as related to the proposed rule, are welcome.

“Our mission at the USPTO is to drive U.S. innovation and global competitiveness for the benefit of all Americans,” said Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “This proposed rule is part of a holistic, thoughtful and balanced approach to bolstering our strong intellectual property system. We must remain steadfast in incentivizing and protecting the investments in innovation that drive U.S. leadership, while recognizing that surgical changes can create efficiencies that reduce costs and promote competition.”

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