AIPLA meeting discusses patent reform proposals of FTC and NAS

Jose Cortina, writing of the AIPLA meeting discussing the reforms proposals of the FTC and the NAS wrote of the topic of questionable patents:

-->Judge Rader of the CAFC questioned a number of the recommendations and conclusions reached in the report. For instance, in addressing the issue of “questionable patents,” Judge Rader pointed out that the decisions being handed down by the Federal Circuit simply did not support the proposition that the USPTO was issuing a large number of patents of questionable value. Members of the audience also questioned creation of a research use exception tailored to universities, and properly pointed out that the role of universities today is to conduct research for the purpose of making money.<--

**Judge Rader's comments would seem to undercut the Quillen/Webster suggestion that enhanced grant rate indicates a lower quality review of applications.