For six years, the BIOMEDevice Boston event has addressed design, regulation, innovations, and human factors of medical devices. This year, the conference will feature speakers from MIT, FDA, and Brown University.

David Dykeman, a registered patent attorney at Greenberg Taurrig LLP (Boston, MA), has been affiliated with the conference for most of its existence and has spoken previously on intellectual property issues and patent reform.

Q: Why is BIOMEDevice Boston a good event for device makers?

A: The BIOMEDevice Boston conference provides medical device entrepreneurs and companies with timely insights and guidance on biomedical regulations, innovations, product design, and development. The event is also a great venue for networking with decision-makers in the medical device and life science industries.

Q: What are the hottest topics in the industry right now?

A: From a legal perspective, patent law is one of the hottest topics today in the medical device industry. The landmark America Invents Act has changed the U.S. patent system, affecting patent filing and prosecution. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has initiated new examination options, and the U.S. Supreme Court continues to deliver ground-breaking patent decisions that impact patent prosecution and licensing strategy. Medical device companies need to carefully navigate these uncharted waters and build a strategic intellectual property portfolio to thrive in a competitive global market.

Other hot topics include the healthcare reform bill, the stringent regulatory environment, the new medical device tax, and the lack of a permanent R&D tax credit.

Q: How will these topics be covered at BIOMEDevice Boston?

A: I think patent reform will be on the minds of many attendees. My presentation on April 10 will address patent reform and related topics to help attendees efficiently integrate a patent strategy into a medical product development plan.

Q: What can attendees expect?

A: Attendees of my presentation will gain insights on strategies for filing strong patent applications to protect a company’s current core technology and future improvements, monitoring the patent landscape, exploring ways to patent white space, and cross-licensing opportunities.

Reina V. Slutske is the assistant editor for MD+DI.