- 2 - 
conducted is not affected, but that this review would commence 
approximately six months sooner than the average review. She noted that 
precedents for such an acceleration exist for inventions in the fields of 
energy and environmental protection and that the Order requires research 
inventions receiving accelerated processing to adhere to the standards 
established by the NIH Guidelines. 
Committee reactions to the Order were solicited and it was noted, for 
example, that environmental groups would prefer that the technology 
transfer from research to commercial application not proceed as quickly 
as in other areas because of the potential risks posed to public health 
and the environment. Dr. Ancker-Johnson replied that the Order requires 
research inventions receiving accelerated processing to adhere to the 
safety assessments and standards required by the NIH Guidelines. 
2 . Adherence to the NIH Guidelines 
Dr. Ancker-Johnson explained that the Order requires foreign inventors 
to adhere either to the Guidelines or to standards which are equivalent 
to the Guidelines. It was noted that this might provoke protests from 
these inventors and that most western European countries were following 
the United Kingdom Guidelines, which are comparable, but not identical, 
to the NIH Guidelines. Dr. Ancker-Johnson responded that foreign inventors 
could still file patent applications through the normal process if they 
could not or would not abide by the NIH Guidelines or their equivalent. 
Dr. Ancker-Johnson further explained that the implementation of the 
provisions of the Order regarding the Guidelines are self-executing; that 
is, the accuracy of statements by the inventor will be relied on by the 
Commerce Department, but misrepresentations may imperil patent rights if 
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