ERIA Hosts Online Workshop on Patent Examination Practices in the Pharmaceutical and Related Fields for ASEAN Member States

Jakarta, 3 October 2024: ERIA recently hosted an online workshop titled 'Research on Patent Examination Practices in the Pharmaceutical and Related Fields in the ASEAN Member States (AMS)' on 3 October 2024. The event gathered patent examiners from ten ASEAN countries, alongside observers from the Japan Patent Office (JPO), JETRO, and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The workshop is part of a broader pharmaceutical project launched earlier this year, which included site visits and hearings at six ASEAN IP offices: MyIPO in Malaysia, DIP in Thailand, IPOS in Singapore, IPOPHL in the Philippines, DGIP in Indonesia, and DIP in Lao PDR.

In his opening remarks, Toru Furuichi, Chief Operating Officer of ERIA, highlighted that the initiative was developed in response to the global impact of COVID-19. The workshop aims to foster mutual understanding, share insights, and improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical patent examination practices within the diverse legal frameworks of each ASEAN Member State.

Moderated by Prof. Hiroshi Kato, a professor at Nihon University, patent attorney, and former pharmaceutical patent examiner at the JPO, the discussions addressed key issues, including the scope of patent protection (i.e. patent-eligible subject matter and unpatentable inventions), and medicinal use claims (novelty and inventive step). The session was highly collaborative, with each country sharing its unique perspective on balancing technological advancement with societal needs and norms.

ERIA hopes that this workshop will offer valuable insights into patent examination practices in the pharmaceutical field across ASEAN Member States, fostering stronger collaboration between ASEAN IP offices and Japan.