---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 2572"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "2572"
heading: "Patents; availability to general public; protection of background rights"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/2572"
units:
  - "Chapter 35 — Arms Control and Disarmament"
  - "Subchapter III — Functions"
---

# §2572. Patents; availability to general public; protection of background rights


All research within the United States contracted for, sponsored, cosponsored, or authorized under authority of this chapter, shall be provided for in such manner that all information as to uses, products, processes, patents, and other developments resulting from such research developed by Government expenditure will (with such exceptions and limitations, if any, as the Secretary of State may find to be necessary in the public interest) be available to the general public. This section shall not be so construed as to deprive the owner of any background patent relating thereto of such rights as he may have thereunder.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 87–297, title III, § 302, formerly § 32, Sept. 26, 1961, 75 Stat. 634; renumbered § 302 and amended Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XII, § 1223(7), (21), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–769, 2681–772.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–277, § 1223(7), substituted “Secretary of State” for “Director” and “section” for “subsection”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective Apr. 1, 1999, see section 1201 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an Effective Date note under section 6511 of this title.