Berman claims pharma/Republican connection

Congr. Berman is discussed on the 271blog:

Berman also claimed the pharmaceutical industry relied on its strong ties to the Republican leadership to reject changes to patent law.

IPBiz asks: if Republican leadership is so adverse to changes in patent law, why did Bush nominate Kimberly Moore to the CAFC?

Patent reform may be partisan, but it would be so in a very unusual way.

*****

PC World discussed quotes by Mark Lemley:

"Patents are not a driver of innovation, they are an impediment to innovation," said Mark Lemley, a professor of law at Stanford University Law School, speaking at the summit.

"Everyone has an example of silly patents, such as the cat exerciser laser pen," Lemley said, but the problems with the patent law are more serious than that. Often, one company asserts a patent right against another company and forces that company to stop production until the patent issue is resolved.

"The patent holdup forces the company to settle for more money than the patent is worth," Lemley said.