About the Patent Appeal Board
The Patent Appeal Board is an advisory body made up of senior Patent Office officials. In carrying out his duties, the Commissioner of Patents makes decisions that are quasi-judicial in nature. Since 1970 the Board has been mandated by the Commissioner to conduct independent reviews, provide recommendations and advise him when making such quasi-judicial decisions which principally concern the review of rejected applications, the review of rejected applications for the reissue of a patent, and determinations of first inventorship in patent conflict situations.
The Board is also responsible for advising in respect of patent policy matters and assisting the Commissioner in performing a number of other duties such as the administration of patent re-examination procedures, settling the terms and conditions for use of patented inventions by governments, granting authorizations under Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), the administration of the procedures related to an alleged abuse of patent rights, the administration of the annual Patent Agent and Trade-mark Agent Examinations, and in dealing with complaints of misconduct by patent agents.
