In a new piece for U.S. News & World Report, former Chair of the Democratic National Committee and Governor of Vermont Howard Dean argues that strong IP protections are essential for safeguarding the innovation necessary to combat future pandemics.
He points to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines as a case study: decades of patent-protected research enabled scientists to build on mRNA technology to deliver safe and effective vaccines at record speed.
Today, research institutions and biotech firms are working with that same sense of urgency to develop vaccines and treatments for bird flu. Their ability to succeed depends on a stable innovation ecosystem — one where investments in risky, long-term research are protected and incentivized.
In the op-ed, Dean raises concerns about ongoing efforts to require companies to share confidential research data and waive patent protections during pandemics.
“IP protections aren’t barriers to innovation; they are foundations for it,” states Dean. “These protections create the stable ground that allows scientists and companies to make the massive, no-returns-guaranteed investments required to develop new treatments and diagnostics.”
Read the full op-ed here:
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2025-05-12/health-egg-ip-patent-bird-flu