GAO Criticizes USPTO Oversight and Patent Quality Efforts The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report criticizing the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its inadequate oversight and ineffective initiatives aimed at improving patent quality. The report, issued in April 2025, highlights several issues that continue to plague the agency despite previous reforms. According to the GAO, these shortcomings risk a system where patents are granted too quickly and are often challenged in court, costing innovators and the legal system. Key findings include: 1. Performance Metrics: Examiners are still primarily evaluated based on speed and quantity, not the quality of their reviews. This "output-driven" culture has led to rushed examinations, particularly for complex cases. 2. Weak Oversight: The USPTO’s internal review processes, including supervisory checks, suffer from reliability issues, with inconsistencies in how examiner performance is evaluated. 3. Lack of Comprehensive Metrics: The USPTO tracks compliance with individual patent requirements but lacks a broader goal for overall patent quality. This has resulted in a significant gap between individual compliance and full statutory compliance. The GAO has issued eight recommendations to address these issues, including improving oversight, setting clearer patent quality goals, and adopting better metrics for assessing patent value. The report stresses the need for more transparent and outcome-based evaluation systems to improve trust in the patent system. For further reading, check out the full report here --> https://ipwatchdog.com/2025/05/08/gao-says-uspto-falls-short-oversight-patent-quality-efforts/id=188731/

Posted by InventorNews at 2025-05-08 15:11:56 UTC