Patent and Trademark Office April 17, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is hosting a forum to receive public feedback from organizations and individuals on its guidance memorandum titled, ``Guidance For Determining Subject Matter Eligibility of Claims Reciting or Involving Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena, and Natural Products (Laws of Nature/Natural Products Guidance),'' issued on March 4, 2014 and available at www.uspto.gov/patents/announce/myriad-mayo.jsp. The Laws of Nature/Natural Products Guidance implemented a new procedure to address changes in the law relating to subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101 in view of recent Supreme Court precedent. The forum will be open for any member of the public to participate. The forum will provide an opportunity for participants to present their interpretation of the impact of Supreme Court precedent on the complex legal and technical issues involved in subject matter eligibility analyses during patent examination. Participants who believe that the Supreme Court decisions could be implemented in an alternative manner from the approach taken in the Laws of Nature/Natural Products Guidance should use the forum to present their alternative approach and the legal rationale for the alternative. The forum also can be used by participants to suggest additional examples for use by the Office to create a more complete picture of the impact of Supreme Court precedent on subject matter eligibility.