Researchers oppose Biden plan to allow seizure of patents

"resident Joe Biden has touted a plan that would allow federal agencies to seize patents for products developed with federally funded research if the government deems those products too expensive.

The White House has framed the proposal, which would revise the guidelines of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, as part of the administration’s broader push to lower prescription drug prices. But advocates for research universities, which rely heavily on federal dollars, are opposed.

They argue that the proposed framework may not be an effective tool to lower drug prices and that it would weaken the powerful research partnerships between universities and the private sector that have resulted in bringing to market such inventions as the mRNA vaccine platform, e-ink displays for ereaders and internet browser algorithms....

Kate Hudson, a lobbyist for the AAU, said that if the proposed guidelines had the feared effect of reducing federally funded research produced by universities, it would also create a gap in publicly accessible knowledge.

“When research is conducted on university campuses and it’s funded federally, it’s going to be published, with very few exceptions,” Hudson said, noting that that model creates a valuable knowledge base. “When the private sector funds research, that doesn’t happen. It’s hoarded by that company, and it’s proprietary knowledge. They are not looking to publish or share.” ..."