Patent Law and the Biomedical Sciences

Catalog description

This course is designed for graduate students in the School of Medicine but graduate students from other schools will also be offered course enrollment. We will explore the fundamental principles of patent law generally and, in several classes, apply these principles to biomedical discoveries, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, devices, and biologics. The specific patent law topics covered include an exploration of the patent document itself, the major patentability requirements, how to obtain a patent and patenting drafting strategies with a focus on biomedical-related inventions, the rights associated with an issued patent, the Hatch-Waxman Act and generic competition as applied to pharmaceutical patents, and issues associated with access to medicines for the developing world. Familiarization with patent law is crucial for graduate students who aspire to be biomedical researchers that can leverage the knowledge learned during this course to protect their intellectual property, incentivize innovation, navigate legal complexities, and maximize the societal benefits of their biomedical discoveries. It equips researchers with the tools and knowledge needed to advance their work and contribute to the field while also considering ethical, legal, and commercial aspects. Offered as MGRD 531 and PHRM 531 . Prereq: CRSP 529 or MGRD 529 or PHRM 529 or RGME 529 .