Petition Refresh Patent Law to Improve Investment and Innovation

Drug Discovery in the pharmaceutical industry is in the midst of a big change: many UK companies are reducing internal research programs in therapeutic areas which are not economic. This petition proposes two changes to patent law:
1 A greater emphasis on research into less tractable therapeutic areas, by providing a more equitable and transparent period for a return on investment.
2 Adopting a “publication-conditioned grace period" similar to a US law, where disclosure by the inventor, of a new idea doesn’t destroy novelty, provided a patent is filed within 1 year.
These changes in patent law would drive growth in research in challenging disease areas like dementia, and provide a transparent and equitable reimbursement regime coupled with little impact on government budgets, makes the case compelling.
Thus we call on the government to revise patent laws:
1 Start the period of exclusivity from time of marketing
2 Adopt a USA style “publication-conditioned grace period"