In the drug development system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Food and Drug Administration. With apologies to those behind "Law and Order," these are their stories.
The process of developing a new drug starts in the lab with a promising chemical compound or process. Typically, the next step after discovery is a patent application, which protects the potential new treatment from copycats. Expert examiners at the USPTO then scrutinize it for its usefulness, originality, and non-obviousness. If it passes these tests, the patent goes through.
