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Vaccine TROL Act of 2021

USA117th CongressHR-3978| House 
| Updated: 6/18/2021
Michael C. Burgess

Michael C. Burgess

Republican Representative

Texas

Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Vaccine Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters Act of 2021 or the Vaccine TROL Act of 2021 This bill prohibits sending bad faith patent demand letters concerning a product relating to COVID-19 during the declared public health emergency. A patent demand letter is a written communication claiming that the recipient may be liable for patent infringement. Bad faith means making knowingly false or misleading statements, making claims with reckless indifference for the truth, or omitting information with the intent to deceive. Bad faith representations shall include false or misleading claims about the sender's right to assert a patent and whether lawsuits have been filed. They also include making written demands for compensation for invalid patents or to demand compensation without identifying the ultimate parent entity of the letter sender. Under this bill, a patent demand letter related to COVID-19 is presumed to have been sent in bad faith if the sender fails to respond within 10 business days of receiving a request by the letter recipient for (1) certain information required by this bill, or (2) the patent claim that the sender reasonably believes is being infringed. The sender shall have an affirmative defense that it acted in good faith by proving that its misstatements or omissions were unintentional and that it made an error in spite of procedures to avoid such errors. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general may bring actions to enforce these provisions.
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Timeline
Jun 17, 2021
Introduced in House
Jun 17, 2021
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jun 18, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
  • June 17, 2021
    Introduced in House


  • June 17, 2021
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


  • June 18, 2021
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

Commerce

Related Bills

  • HR 117-192: Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters Act of 2021
Cardiovascular and respiratory healthCivil actions and liabilityEmergency medical services and trauma careFraud offenses and financial crimesInfectious and parasitic diseasesIntellectual propertyState and local government operations

Vaccine TROL Act of 2021

USA117th CongressHR-3978| House 
| Updated: 6/18/2021
Vaccine Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters Act of 2021 or the Vaccine TROL Act of 2021 This bill prohibits sending bad faith patent demand letters concerning a product relating to COVID-19 during the declared public health emergency. A patent demand letter is a written communication claiming that the recipient may be liable for patent infringement. Bad faith means making knowingly false or misleading statements, making claims with reckless indifference for the truth, or omitting information with the intent to deceive. Bad faith representations shall include false or misleading claims about the sender's right to assert a patent and whether lawsuits have been filed. They also include making written demands for compensation for invalid patents or to demand compensation without identifying the ultimate parent entity of the letter sender. Under this bill, a patent demand letter related to COVID-19 is presumed to have been sent in bad faith if the sender fails to respond within 10 business days of receiving a request by the letter recipient for (1) certain information required by this bill, or (2) the patent claim that the sender reasonably believes is being infringed. The sender shall have an affirmative defense that it acted in good faith by proving that its misstatements or omissions were unintentional and that it made an error in spite of procedures to avoid such errors. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general may bring actions to enforce these provisions.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 17, 2021
Introduced in House
Jun 17, 2021
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jun 18, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
  • June 17, 2021
    Introduced in House


  • June 17, 2021
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


  • June 18, 2021
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
Michael C. Burgess

Michael C. Burgess

Republican Representative

Texas

Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

Commerce

Related Bills

  • HR 117-192: Targeting Rogue and Opaque Letters Act of 2021
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Cardiovascular and respiratory healthCivil actions and liabilityEmergency medical services and trauma careFraud offenses and financial crimesInfectious and parasitic diseasesIntellectual propertyState and local government operations