Pipeline Protection

Pipeline Protection and the GATT Policy Negotiations

In relation to the GATT Policy Negotiations, Christopher Mark (1993) provided the following explanation and/or definition of Pipeline Protection: In international negotiations on protection of intellectual property rights, refers to the protection of patents for products that are still in the testing phase. Because pharmaceuticals require up to 10 years to test, many drugs that are 'tin the pipeline” would not otherwise qualify for patent protection because they would no longer be considered novel at the time laws pursuant to aUruguay Round IPR agreement come into force. Also known as transitional protection.