The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today launched the COVID-19 Response Resource Center to
provide stakeholders and other interested parties with improved access
to USPTO initiatives, programs, and other helpful intellectual property
(IP)-related information regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
“As
it always does, our nation’s innovation community will play a crucial
role in devising creative solutions to the ongoing pandemic,” said
Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the USPTO. “The USPTO stands shoulder-to-shoulder with
inventors and entrepreneurs and is working on a variety of measures to
incentivize, protect, and disseminate COVID-19 related
innovation. The COVID-19 Response Resource Center will provide
inventors, entrepreneurs, and IP practitioners with a centralized
destination to access information and assistance needed to meet the
challenges of these times.”
The
resource center allows users to easily view information on a number of
critical initiatives to aid the public throughout the ongoing crisis,
including the USPTO’s “Patents 4 Partnerships” IP marketplace platform
and the COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for accelerating
the evaluation of patent applications directed to COVID-19 related
technologies. Information on trademark counterfeiting and consumer
fraud, as well as updates on international developments related to the
COVID-19 outbreak, are also available.
The
resource center also includes links to the USPTO’s Pro Bono Program,
information on voluntary early patent application publication, and
resources for inventors and small businesses. The resource center will
be updated on a continuing basis to incorporate new information,
programs, and initiatives.
The
USPTO invites the public to submit recommendations or suggestions for
the USPTO to consider as it assists the IP community. Please email
comments to COVIDcomments@uspto.gov.