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EXAMINATION GUIDELINES FOR CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE INVENTIONS
On 18 January 2008, the Intellectual Property Office announced the Patent Examination Guidelines, Part 2: Substantive Examination of Invention Patents, Chapter 12: Inventions Related to Chinese Herbal Medicine Inventions, which took effect on date of announcement.
"Chinese herbal medicines" defined in the Guidelines include natural materials such as plants, animals, minerals, algae, or fungi, or derivatives or combinations thereof, but excluding isolated chemical compounds or their combinations. "Inventions related to Chinese herbal medicines" subject to the Guidelines include not only per se inventions of Chinese herbal medicine, but also inventions pertaining to the uses of Chinese herbal medicines.
If readers have any questions about the above Guidelines, please feel free to contact Lee and Li's Patent Department.