A New Standard

The US House of Representative passed a bill yesterday to reform the country's patent system, reports ScienceInsider. The bill would change the standard used to grant patents from the current "first to invent" standard to a "first to file" standard, which is more common in the rest of the world. The Senate passed a similar bill back in March, and the two versions need to be reconciled before being given to President Barack Obama, who the Chronicle of Higher Education notes, has indicated support for the legislation. The Chronicle adds that "university representatives have been divided on the plan, with some arguing that a first-to-file standard would put unwelcome pressure on their scientists to publish more quickly, and others saying that experiences overseas suggest such fears are unwarranted."