Empowering chemistry through intellectual property

Intellectual property (IP) enables innovations and drives our economy. IP protections for novel scientific technologies benefit the discoverers and inventors—and the general public as well, who enjoy the advantages of commercialized technologies. Our legal system provides the ability to protect and leverage IP in the form of patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights—and, in doing so, incentivizes the development and commercialization of scientific technologies. As the American Chemical Society seeks to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people, the ACS Committee on Patents and Related Matters (CPRM) understands that part of that advancement includes fostering the development, protection, and recognition of innovative chemistry. The ACS committee on patents has existed almost continuously since 1899, and its current structure and charge have been in place since 1966. The committee is composed of individuals representing viewpoints from all aspects of the IP system,