02/03/2021

G+T partner, John Lee, assisted by lawyer, Simone Hall, recently contributed “Patents and the Pandemic” to the Intellectual Property Forum journal, providing a deep analysis of the potential impacts of the patent system on the development and universal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
 
The global COVID-19 pandemic dominated almost every aspect of daily life throughout the world during 2020. In addition to the significant impact on public health, the way people work, socialise and learn has been impacted by the pandemic to a greater or lesser extent depending on their circumstances and geographic location. 2020 was filled with daily headlines regarding the origin, spread and economic impact of the virus. 
 
The global intellectual property (“IP”) regime is only a small part of the complex matrix of factors playing into solutions (and for some, perceived problems) related to the global pandemic. However, the race to develop effective treatments and vaccines has resulted in considerable discussion about the potential impact IP, and in particular patents, may have on the ability to produce and distribute medications for the billions of individuals who will require access.
 
Originally published as the leading article in volume 122 (pages 9 – 20) of the Intellectual Property Forum - Journal of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (2020).

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