[Ip-health] PLoS patent debate

[Aidan Hollis]

Today's PLoS Medicine contains an interesting debate on whether patents are=
 obstructing medical care.

Gold ER, Kaplan W, Orbinski J, Harland-Logan S, N-Marandi S (2010) Are Pate=
nts Impeding Medical Care and Innovation? PLoS Med 7(1): e1000208. doi:10.1=
371/journal.pmed.1000208

available at: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjour=
nal.pmed.1000208

Abstract
Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers argue that the current pate=
nt system is crucial for stimulating research and development (R&D), leadin=
g to new products that improve medical care. The financial return on their =
investments that is afforded by patent protection, they claim, is an incent=
ive toward innovation and reinvestment into further R&D. But this view has =
been challenged in recent years. Many commentators argue that patents are s=
tifling biomedical research, for example by preventing researchers from acc=
essing patented materials or methods they need for their studies. Patents h=
ave also been blamed for impeding medical care by raising prices of essenti=
al medicines, such as antiretroviral drugs, in poor countries. This debate =
examines whether and how patents are impeding health care and innovation.


Orbinski, Harland-Logan and N-Marandi praise the UNITAID patent pool and ca=
ll for the implementation of "other innovative policy proposals, such as th=
e Heath Impact Fund."

Aidan Hollis
Professor of Economics

University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW Calgary AB T2N 1N4 Canada
tel: +1 403 220 5861  fax: +1 403 220 5861
email: ahollis@ucalgary.ca
web: http://econ.ucalgary.ca/hollis.htm

Incentives for Global Health
http://www.healthimpactfund.org