PhRMA comments on NIST in effort to safeguard IP protections

Last week, trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) submitted comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) regarding the proposed rulemaking on implementing regulations of the Bayh-Dole Act.

Passed in 1980, the Bayh-Dole Act was a landmark piece of bipartisan legislation that established a uniform framework across the federal government to encourage technology transfer between universities and the private sector that has facilitated timely and efficient commercialization of early-stage research. Since its passage, it has fueled unprecedented innovation across the USA, noted Megan Van Etten, a senior director of public affairs at PhRMA.

In the comments, PhRMA outlines why providing certainty when it comes to intellectual property (IP) protections in the USA is in the best interest of innovators everywhere. Below are five key excerpts from the comments highlighting the critical role IP plays in continued innovation in biopharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing.