Schwertner H A
Clinical Investigation Directorate, Wilford Hall Medical Center/RDL, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5319, USA.
Mil Med. 1994 Dec;159(12):729-32.
Medical, dental, nursing, and biomedical personnel often perform critical research that can lead to patents. Similarly, patentable discoveries can be made during the normal course of medical practice, e.g., the development of new biocompatible polymers, improved dental materials, new or modified catheters, new laboratory diagnostic tests, and improved medical devices. Many inventions may not be patented in federal organizations due to the lack of information available on the patenting process. In this article, the financial benefits that can be derived from patenting inventions are discussed, as well as the different types of patents that can be obtained, the conditions for patentability, bars or restrictions to obtaining a patent, the importance of proper record keeping, and the steps to take toward getting an invention patented.
医学、牙科、护理和生物医学领域的人员经常开展能够催生专利的关键研究。同样，在正常医疗实践过程中也可能做出可获专利的发现，例如新型生物相容性聚合物的研发、改良的牙科材料、新型或改良的导管、新的实验室诊断测试以及改进的医疗设备。由于缺乏有关专利申请流程的信息，许多发明在联邦机构中可能无法获得专利。本文讨论了发明获得专利所能带来的经济收益、可获得的不同类型专利、专利性条件、获得专利的障碍或限制、妥善保存记录的重要性以及使发明获得专利的步骤。
