Developing socially responsible intellectual property licensing policies: non-exclusive licensing initiatives in the pharmaceutical sector

Author(s):  
Peter Beyer
Legal Studies ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Aisling McMahon ◽  
Edana Richardson

Abstract This paper focuses on the drivers steering companies’ behaviour over uses of patented health technologies, taking Covid-19 as a case study. Global equitable access to health technologies is vital to bringing the pandemic under control. Reflecting this, global mechanisms for rightsholders to share intellectual property rights, data and know-how over such health technologies have been developed. Yet, to date, there is limited support from corporate rightsholders for such mechanisms. Instead, health technologies have been licensed largely based on bilateral deals, with vast global inequalities emerging. Given the traditional focus within company law on prioritising shareholders' short-term financial value, we argue that it is unsurprising that many corporate rightsholders adopt a protectionist approach to patents, even in the face of health crises. However, we argue that the tide may now be starting to shift, catalysed by an emergence of engaged shareholders petitioning for socially responsible corporate behaviour, including for uses of intellectual property over health technologies in a manner that more clearly aligns with public interests. If harnessed and encouraged, such engaged shareholder behaviour could present an opportunity to reframe the conception of shareholder value towards one that considers a long-term sustainable approach and ultimately to shift corporate behaviour around uses of intellectual property over health technologies to take public interests into account.


2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Mimura

In the years since the passage of the Bayh–Dole Act of 1980, university technology transfer success has been measured primarily by traditional metrics such as numbers of patents filed, revenue obtained from licensed patents and numbers of start-up companies founded to commercialize university intellectual property. Intellectual property (IP) managers have often responded to these metrics and expectations by attempting to maximize revenue from commercial IP licences. In recent years the University of California at Berkeley has acknowledged that, while licence revenue generation and local economic development are important goals, it is equally important to maximize the social impact of research. It has therefore adopted several IP management strategies, including a Socially Responsible Licensing Program (SRLP). Several types of agreements have been executed under the SRLP, including IP licences, sponsored research agreements and collaborative research agreements. All are structured to provide an economic incentive to licensees to develop and distribute goods and services to low-income and middle-income countries and/or other target groups as they are defined in each contract.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (56) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Marta Carolina Giménezi PEREIRA

RESUMENLas nuevas tendencias en propiedad intelectual nos remiten al primigenio ADPIC para el análisis necesario de temáticas de derecho a la competencia y propiedad intelectual en el sector farmacéutico y más tarde arribar a las implicancias del futuro de ADPIC, a saber, ADPIC PLUS, con la polémica específica de la “información no divulgada” y, en ella, la protección de la “exclusividad de datos” que ya se encontraba prevista en el artículo 39.3 de aquél. Empero, existen difíciles interpretaciones para esta debatida figura que no escapa a los intereses de los distintos sectores participantes de los variados países miembros de la OMC. El presente estudio abarca dos temáticas diferenciadas que se desarrollan después de la introducción, la cual tiene por objeto colocar al lector en contexto. En una primera parte, se aborda la relación de la propiedad intelectual con el derecho de la competencia, generando luego dos propuestas anticompetitivas. En la segunda parte, aparece la figura de la exclusividad de datos como parte integrante de las nuances de extensión patentaria gestadas en el escenario internacional y las estrategias resultantes, desde sus conceptos y requisitos, analizando sus interpretaciones, así como las sensibilidades en su aplicación. El método utilizado es el deductivo y la técnica de investigación bibliográfica. Se estructura en introducción, desarrollo, conclusiones y bibliografía.PALABRAS-CLAVE: Patentes farmacéuticas; Innovación; Propiedad Intelectual; Acceso a la salud; Derecho de la competencia; Acuerdo ADPIC Plus; Artículo 39.3 ADPIC.ABSTRACTThe new trends in intellectual property refer us to the original TRIPS agreement for the necessary analysis on topics in competition law and intellectual property in the pharmaceutical sector and later arrive at the implications of the future of TRIPS, that is, TRIPS PLUS, with the specific controversy of the “undisclosed information” and, in it, the protection of “data exclusivity” that was already foreseen in the former’s article 39.3. However, there are difficult interpretations for this debated figure that do not escape the interests of different participating sectors in the various countries that are members of the WTO. The present study covers two differentiated themes that are scrutinized after the introduction, which aims to put the reader in context. At the first part, relations between intellectual property and competition law are addressed, thus generating two anticompetitive proposals. At the second part, the figure of data exclusivity appears as an integrating part of the patented extension nuances conceived on international stage and the resulting strategies, from their concepts and requirements, analyzing their interpretations, as well as the sensitivities in their application. The method used is the deductive and the bibliographic research technique. It is structured in introduction, development, conclusions and bibliography.KEYWORDS: Pharmaceutical patents; Innovation; Intellectual property; Access to health; Competition law; TRIPS PLUS Agreement; Article 39.3 TRIPSRESUMOAs novas tendências na propriedade intelectual nos remetem ao primordial Acordo TRIPS para a necessária análise de temáticas do direito da concorrência e propriedade intelectual no setor farmacêutico e, mais tarde para se chegar às implicações do futuro do TRIPS, a saber, o TRIPS PLUS, com a específica polêmica da “informação não divulgada” e, nesta, sobre a proteção da “exclusividade de dados” que já se encontrava prevista no art. 39.3 daquele primeiro. No entanto, existem interpretações difíceis para esta figura debatida que não escapa aos interesses dos diferentes setores participantes dos vários países membros da OMC. O presente estudo abarca duas temáticas diferenciadas que se desenvolvem após a introdução, a qual tem por objetivo colocar o leitor em contexto. Na primeira parte, aborda-se a relação da propriedade intelectual com o direito da concorrência, gerando então duas propostas anticoncorrenciais. Na segunda parte, aparece a figura da exclusividade de dados como parte integrante das nuances de extensão patentária gestadas no cenário internacional e as estratégias resultantes, desde seus conceitos e requisitos, analisando suas interpretações, bem como as sensibilidades em sua aplicação. O método utilizado é o dedutivo e a técnica de investigação bibliográfica. Se estrutura em introdução, desenvolvimento, conclusões e bibliografia.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Patentes farmacêuticas; Inovação; Propriedade intelectual; Acesso à saúde; Direito da concorrência; Acordo TRIPS PLUS; Artigo 39.3 TRIPS. 


Author(s):  
Neda Vitezic

Recently, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been adopted by many business sectors in the world including pharmaceutical industry. The orientation to social and environmental issues in business operations became a subject of much different research since the development of the stakeholder theory. The stakeholder theory emphasised social responsibility because a company’s performance and business in general could not be measured solely by gaining profit. Shareholders and managers should be responsible for all others who «directly or indirectly affect or are affected by a firm's activities». Much attention has been devoted to this concept in the researcher’s analysis in a range of sectors, but CSR research has been limited in the pharmaceutical sector. Measurement system is especially insufficiently analysed in relation to outcome measures to overall stakeholders. Thus, the purpose of the research is to analyse pharmaceutical industry in the Region (some of the ex-Yugoslavian countries - today Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia) which have developed a social responsibility concept in their renowned pharmaceutical enterprises. The research objectives are to investigate the CSR measurement system and make conclusions through critical analysis of the used indicators. The objective is to make a differentiation between pharmaceutical enterprises in using indicators to present economical, environmental and social issues. The final aim is to unify the approach to CSR in the pharmaceutical sector in the Region, as there is no agreement between relevant stakeholders and pharmaceutical industry about socially responsible pharmaceutical companies. The used research methods are: scientific analytical methods, interview, desk research, statistical methods. Research results: based on detailed analysis of the measurement system in the main pharmaceutical companies in four countries in the Region (a total of 12 in the sample) a model of a socially responsible pharmaceutical company is set up.


2018 ◽  
pp. 127-153
Author(s):  
Amit Sengupta

The chapter examines the impact of globalization on access to affordable medicines in the context of the changing dynamics of the pharmaceutical sector in India, accompanied by major changes in the country’s Intellectual Property regime. With the initiation of neoliberal economic reforms, India formally embarked on a path of economic development that embraced rather than opposed global integration and harmonized laws. The chapter examines shifts in the domestic policy environment which eventually led to the Indian state beginning to question its earlier stance of defending lower standards of intellectual property protection.


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