The pandemic as a stress test of the patent system – a legal-economic re-examination of exclusivity, liability rules, open innovation, and complementary policy levers

在2019冠状病毒病大流行期间，欧洲专利制度需要证明它可以在极端情况下发挥作用。虽然一些机构和市场参与者强调知识产权在抗击新冠肺炎中的重要性，但也有人认为知识产权阻碍了迫切需要的创新。事实上，专利的创新激励机制依赖于排他性——这一概念自然似乎与共同防治流行病的想法截然相反。该项目将调查欧洲专利制度是否适用于流行病或类似的紧急状态。该分析基于这样一个一般假设，即欧洲专利法的结构是生命科学行业创新的主要驱动力，但可能需要微调和补充政策措施才能更好地发挥作用。因此，该项目将集中在三个主要的研究问题：第一个研究问题是专利法是否提供了足够的例外排他性服务于公众利益。第二个研究问题是，专利法是否为大流行期间的开放式创新提供了有益的结构。第三个研究问题是，在大流行期间，社会是否需要与专利制度相辅相成的政策措施来推动创新。之所以选择制药部门作为分析的研究领域，是因为它在大流行情景中的重要性。研究方法将主要依靠理论比较分析：比较法律分析和经济学比较统计学。个案研究和圆桌研讨会将由若干制药公司的多名代表参加，这些代表被选为最佳做法的代表。本研究将有助于相关学术领域的基础研究问题。其结果也将有可能为决策者、专利局、法院和立法者今后的决策提供服务，从而促进公共利益。

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the European patent system needs to prove that it can function under extreme circumstances. While certain institutions and market players emphasize its importance in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, others consider IPRs as a hindrance to urgently needed innovation. Indeed, the innovation incentive mechanism of patents relies on exclusivity – a concept that naturally appears to be diametrically opposed to the idea of a joint fight against a pandemic.This project will investigate whether the European patent system is fit for a pandemic or a similar state of emergency. The analysis is based on the general hypothesis that the structure of European patent law is a major driver for innovation in the Life Sciences Industry but might need finetuning and complementary policy measures for an even better functioning. Thereby, the project will focus on three main research questions: The first research question asks whether patent law provides sufficient exceptions to exclusivity to serve the public interest. The second research question asks whether patent law offers beneficial structures for open innovation during pandemics. The third research question asks whether society needs complementary policy measures to the patent system as drivers for innovation during pandemics. The pharmaceutical sector has been selected as a field of study for the analysis due to its importance in pandemic scenarios. The methodology of the study will rely mainly on a theoretical comparative analysis: comparative legal analysis and comparative statics in economics. Case studies and roundtable workshops will be carried out with multiple representatives of certain pharmaceutical companies, selected as representing best practices.This study will contribute to fundamental research questions within the relevant academic fields. Its results will also have the potential to serve policy makers, patent offices, courts and legislators in their future decision making contributing thereby to the public good.