The Innovation Race: What Scientists Should Know About the New Patent Laws

There are a growing number of issued patents in the United States, with over 250,000 patents granted in 2012 and more than 275,000 granted in 2013. In today’s business culture, determining whether to file a patent application should be part of the research and development process. However, with all of the recent changes in patent law, it may be difficult for scientists to navigate through the new rules and prepare strategies for protecting their intellectual property. The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, also known as the AIA, was enacted into law on Sept. 16, 2011. The AIA provides a first-inventor-to-file system in the U.S. for patent applications filed after March 16, 2013, negating any earlier claims to priority, such as first to invent.

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