Locking vaccine production down with intellectual property restrictions is devastating the Global South and driving virus mutation. Almost everyone seems to agree. Why aren't we waiving them?
Curious if you have read Rigged by Dean Baker? I've only read an excerpt that addresses innovation and patents/copyrights. He makes the case that although U.S. intellectual property law has gotten stronger over the years, it hasn't actually resulted in more innovation/growth, with a particular focus on the medical and software industries.
Haven't read it but I certainly agree with that conclusion. I think (and the Drahos article in this newsletter makes the same case) that US business models have co-evolved with IP law, both driving and being driven by regulation changes. The result is that they've optimized for their own profit, but also now depend on those IP rules in order to be successful businesses (hence Gates ghoulishly coming out against relaxing IP for vaccine tech yesterday). Innovation/growth has never really played a role in it -- that's just the public narrative.
Curious if you have read Rigged by Dean Baker? I've only read an excerpt that addresses innovation and patents/copyrights. He makes the case that although U.S. intellectual property law has gotten stronger over the years, it hasn't actually resulted in more innovation/growth, with a particular focus on the medical and software industries.
Haven't read it but I certainly agree with that conclusion. I think (and the Drahos article in this newsletter makes the same case) that US business models have co-evolved with IP law, both driving and being driven by regulation changes. The result is that they've optimized for their own profit, but also now depend on those IP rules in order to be successful businesses (hence Gates ghoulishly coming out against relaxing IP for vaccine tech yesterday). Innovation/growth has never really played a role in it -- that's just the public narrative.