title: Will changes to patent infringements attract drug research in the UK?
abstract: Ever since the introduction of the 'Bolar' exemption into the national laws of the EU Member States, the UK has been perceived to be a relatively difficult territory in which to conduct clinical trials, as compared to EU territories having very broad 'Bolar' exemptions, such as France and Germany. This problem for the UK has now been comprehensively eliminated by an amendment to UK patent law that came into force on 1 October 2014. However, whilst addressing a problem faced by the pharmaceutical industry in connection with conducting clinical trials, the manner in which UK patent law has been amended raises important but as yet unanswered questions about the knock-on effects for enforcement of European patents having unitary effect, if and when the laws governing such patents come into force.
authors: a Park Grove IP , BioCity Nottingham, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham NG1 1GF, UK +44 115 888 0406 ; +44 115 822 9345 ; mike.snodin@parkgrove-ip.com.
authors: Mike
authors: M
authors: Snodin
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012106:Research / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: bolar; exemptions; experimental use; patent enforcement; patent infringement; unitary patent