As part of the U.S. Federal Government’s response to Covid-19, the USPTO announced programs to prioritize Covid-19 related patent and trademark applications this past May and June respectively. Since this summer, applicants were permitted to apply for special status without the normal payment requirements for special status.
Thus far, the USPTO has ushered in nearly 400 such applications with 251 patent requests and 133 trademark petitions granted. Of the patent applications, most target medical treatments, vaccines, and diagnostic technology. The remaining make claims on ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other similar technology. The program has resulted in 33 granted patents already related to combatting Covid-19.
“Our staff is working very hard to move COVID-19 related patent and trademark requests, ensuring the intellectual property system is fully responsive to this national emergency,” said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “Over the past two centuries, solutions to some of the nation’s greatest problems have passed through the halls of the USPTO, and it’s very likely that some of the solutions to America’s current pandemic have already been examined by this agency.”
The success of these programs reflects the monumental efforts made by the USPTO in its Covid-19 response, as we’ve covered throughout.
Maier & Maier has embraced these programs to assist our clients and help combat the ongoing virus. If you have any questions or concerns about the pilot or how it may apply to your applications, please reach out to us here.
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