Commentary: University Technology Transfer Has Made a Significant Contribution to Fighting COVID‑19 while Ensuring Global Access

Abstract

This paper reviews the response by public sector research organizations and their technology transfer offices to the COVID-19 pandemic. It shows that leading universities and technology transfer associations quickly enacted licensing principles for the duration of the pandemic to maximize availability and minimize delays in translating public sector research institutes’ (PSRIs’) COVID-19 inventions to the public – in both the developed and the developing world – while waiving payment of royalties. It discusses examples of vaccines, drugs, diagnostics and personal protective equipment that were developed in PSRIs and swiftly deployed throughout the world on socially responsible terms. It reviews the case cited by Herder et al. (2022) and concludes that their proposed mandates are unnecessary and may inhibit the free flow of healthcare innovation from bench to bedside.