Bill > HR2276

This bill requires the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), who is also the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, to conduct a study on how to ensure people can get independent genetic diagnostic tests to confirm results from an initial test, especially when gene patents and exclusive licenses limit access. The study will examine how the current lack of these confirming tests affects patient care and innovation, what impact independent testing would have on existing patent and license holders, how exclusive rights impact medical practice and test result interpretation, and the role of cost and insurance in accessing these tests. The USPTO Director must then report their findings and recommendations to Congress within nine months of the bill becoming law.