FTC's Brill Supports Possible Commission Study of Patent Assertion Entities

摘要

Commissioner Julie Brill supports having the FTC use its authority under Section 6(b) of the FTCnAct to study the business practices of patent assertion entities and examine how such PAE practices affectncompetition and consumer interests, she said Wednesday. Section 6(b) of the FTC Act gives the agencynthe authority to do a full investigation of an industry's business practices, including issuing subpoenas, andnreport their findings to Congress and the public. Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in June that the commissionnshould initiate a 6(b) study of PAEs, but didn't say she would formally ask the commission to votento start one (CD June 21 p16). Brill told us after an American Constitution Society event that CommissionernMaureen Ohlhausen has also said she supports conducting a 6(b) study. Ohlhausen and fellownCommissioner Joshua Wright did not respond to a request for comment.