Vaccine, Drug Patents on Deck for PTO Director Nominee Vidal

The Covid-19 pandemic and government concerns over rising drug prices have teed up novel issues for the Biden administration’s nominee for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director to tackle.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kathi Vidal would assume PTO leadership amid heightened scrutiny of America’s patent system. Intellectual property rights have taken up an outsized role in debates over global vaccine equity and drugmaker strategies to keep lower-cost, competing products off market.

“She’s going in with a mandate from the administration to work with HHS and the FDA on drug pricing issues and overpatenting,” said Matthew Lane, executive director of ...