At the present critical time when the efficiency of this nation must be raised to the highest point, it is essential that the United States government should lead in the efforts tending to such increased efficiency. To bring this about the government must protect and stimulate science, art and industry and at the same time curb or prevent waste of the country’s resources. In this field the United States Patent Office has unlimited power for good and evil--good, in the issuance of patent grants for novel devices and substances which go to increase national efficiency; evil, in the granting of patent protection where such protection is not in the interest of national efficiency, conservation of energy and material resources. For years the American Medical Association, in common with the national pharmaceutical bodies, has been urging amendment of the law which governs the issuance of patents on medicinal preparations and more particularly revision of the procedure under which such patents are issued. At the Chicago (1908) meeting of the American Medical Association a special committee of five was appointed by the House of Delegates to study the questions involved, and to cooperate with the Association’s committee on medical legislation in preparing and securing the enactment of a bill which would correct the abuses connected with the enforcement of our patent laws (The Journal A. M. A., June 13, 1908, p. 2003). This committee presented a comprehensive report at the Atlantic City (1909) meeting of the American Medical Association (The Journal A. M. A., June 19, 1909, p. 2063). A further report was presented at the St. Louis (1910) meeting of the American Medical Association (The Journal A. M. A., June 18, p. 2079). In 1911 (The Journal A. M. A., Nov. 25, 1911, p. 1780) the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association issued a report which set forth the inadequacy of our patent laws as they are administered in relation to medical products particularly. AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST Since that time the Council has continued its study of the U. S. Patent law as it applies to medicine and has become convinced that in many instances the patent law or its enforcement is contrary to the best interest of the public, both as concerns health and prosperity. The Council feels it a duty at this time to protest against the provisions of our patent law, or the methods of its enforcement, which permit the granting of patents without thorough and scientific investigation of the claims advanced in such letters patent. As one means of improving conditions the Council urges that the U. S. Public Health Service, the Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture and other scientific departments of the United States government conversant with medicines and related subjects be consulted before the issuance of patents on medicinal preparations.