The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) recent investigation has found that pharmaceutical patent thickets—a term critics use to describe large numbers of patents that delay generic drug market entry—are uncommon. This conclusion stems from an examination of claims that such thickets contribute to increased drug pricing. This insight was shared by the division’s leader during a discussion focused on the implications of large patent families. The analysis by this USPTO unit could reshape ongoing debates about the role of intellectual property in the pharmaceutical industry.
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