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ARTICLE · 30 OCTOBER 2018

Pat-INFORMED: a powerful new searching tool, but do not be left Part-INFORMED

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Article discusses new database which provides information about the patent status of medicines in different countries.

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Frazer McLennan
Frazer McLennan
Charles Tansey
Charles Tansey
Author LinkedIn connections

A new database has been launched with the principal purpose of providing easily accessible and understandable information about the patent status of a specific medicine in a particular country, by identifying key patents related to the medicine worldwide.

This database is meant to have all this information in a single place, and to complement other patent databases including commercial products, national patent offices and WIPO's PatentScope.

It is called Pat-INFORMED, or more fully, the Patent Information Initiative for Medicines.

Establishing the patent status of medicines can be a difficult task. The Orange Book has been providing the relevant information for many years but only contains US patent numbers. Pat-INFORMED aims to provide similar information on a worldwide basis.

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Shelston IP ranked one of Australia's leading Intellectual Property firms in 2015.

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