It's back to square one for would-be reformers at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Last week, a Virginia federal court rejected rules the office proposed last year that would have limited the number of so-called continuations that can extend the normal 17-year life of a patent claim with amendments and appeals. Up to one-third of U.S. patent filings in recent years have been continuations (Science, 28 July 2006, p. 425), and USPTO said the proposed limits would have cut their workload. Other critics say continuations give some patent holders an unfair advantage. But the Biotechnology Industry Organization said the changes would have inhibited the "financing necessary to bring innovative ... life-saving products to market."
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