About Covid-19
Pfizer, BioNTech challenge Moderna COVID-19 vaccine patents at US Patent Office
“Pfizer and BioNTech have asked a US government tribunal to cancel patents on COVID-19 vaccine technology that rival Moderna has accused the companies of infringing, reported NASDAQ.
Pfizer and BioNTech told the US Patent Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board that the two Moderna patents are "unimaginably broad" and cover a "basic idea that was known long before" their invention date of 2015.
Pfizer stated that its vaccine was "based on BioNTech's proprietary mRNA technology and developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer," and that they remain confident in their intellectual property.
Pfizer and its German partner have separately challenged the two patents and a third related Moderna patent in court in an ongoing Massachusetts federal lawsuit that Moderna filed against them last year.
In a lawsuit, Moderna accused Pfizer and BioNTech of violating its patent rights in mRNA vaccine technology. The case is one of several that have been brought by biotech companies seeking patent royalties from Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 jabs.”
About healthcare IT
75% of cyberattacks disrupt patient care “A survey of 1,100 cybersecurity, engineering, IT and networking professionals from healthcare organizations reported that 60 percent of cyberattacks have had a moderate or substantial impact on care delivery.
An additional 15 percent of respondents said cyberattacks led to a severe impact on care delivery and compromised patients' health or safety…”
HHS will begin enforcing health IT information blocking penalties Sept. 1. “Under the 21st Century Cures Act final rule published in June, certified health IT developers and entities and health information exchanges and networks can be penalized up to $1 million for interfering with the access, exchange and use of electronic health information.”