Report Examines Recent Developments at Major Patenting Authorities Worldwide PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information solutions to the worldwide research and business communities, has published its 2008 Patent Focus Report. Authored by Joff Wild, editor of Intellectual Asset Management magazine, and published in Thomson Scientific's KnowledgeLink(SM) eNewsletter, this report explores recent activities at each of the world's major patenting authorities (USA, Europe, Japan, China and India). The report is available free at scientific.thomson.com/newsletter. Key findings from Thomson Scientific's 2008 Patent Focus Report include: -- Patenting activity: 2007 was a record year with ever increasing numbers of patent applications. China passed a significant milestone when it received its four millionth application in December 2007. As well, the US Patent and Trademark Office examined its highest ever number of applications: 362,227. While Europe and India's patent offices saw increases in patent applications, Japan saw a decrease in activities with patent applications dropping by 4.3%. -- Resources: With the overall growth in patenting activities, the report highlights the need for additional resources in most of the world's patenting authorities. India, as a relative newcomer to patenting, has been the hardest hit with less than 200 patent examiners available to manage an ever-increasing flow of applications. -- Changes to legislation and rules: New legislation in China that enables scientists, institutions and universities to own any patents resulting from their research is driving a new wave of patent applications. At the same time, changes in patenting rules in Europe and the USA have either simplified patenting procedures through eliminating the need for translations during the application process (Europe) or have enraged patent attorneys by allegedly making it harder and more expensive to prosecute patents effectively (USA). In addition to status reports for the world's five main patenting offices, the report also examines significant patent disputes and their outcomes. Published as part of the newly relaunched, customizable KnowledgeLink eNewsletter, the 2008 Patent Focus Report draws on the expertise of Thomson Scientific specialists and guest authors, and delivers unique insight into trends in information management and cutting-edge research for information professionals, research scientists and intellectual property specialists. KnowledgeLink is distributed every two months to subscribers who can register for free and select their customized content at scientific.thomson.com/newsletter. "The 2008 Patent Focus Report delivers a winning combination of thought- provoking editorial content mixed with expert insight from our information specialists," said Marisa Westcott, VP Marketing, Thomson Scientific. "Relaunching our KnowledgeLink eNewsletter gave us the opportunity to spotlight our analyst experts and thought leaders - the people who drive product development and innovation at Thomson Scientific." About The Thomson Corporation The Thomson Corporation (http://www.thomson.com/) is a global leader in providing essential electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to professionals in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC). Thomson Scientific is a business of The Thomson Corporation. Its information solutions assist professionals at every stage of research and development-from discovery to analysis to product development and distribution. Thomson Scientific information solutions can be found at scientific.thomson.com. DATASOURCE: Thomson Scientific CONTACT: Eoin Bedford of Thomson Scientific, +44 207 433 4691, Web site: http://www.scientific.thomson.com/ http://www.thomson.com/ http://thomsonscientific.com/news/newsletter

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