Why Moderna won't share rights to the COVID-19 vaccine with the government that paid for its development

Moderna claims its scientists alone invented the mRNA sequence used to produce its COVID-19 vaccine. The US government, which helped fund the drug, disagrees.

Ana Santos Rutschman, Assistant Professor of Law, Saint Louis University • conversation
Nov. 18, 2021 • ~11 min

Too few women get to invent – that's a problem for women's health

Boosting the number of female inventors isn't just a matter of fairness. Inventions by men are more likely to ignore women's needs.

Rem Koning, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School • conversation
June 17, 2021 • ~8 min

US support for waiving COVID-19 vaccine patent rights puts pressure on drugmakers – but what would a waiver actually look like?

The process will take months, if it's even approved. But just the threat of waiving intellectual property rights could spur faster action.

Dalindyebo Shabalala, Associate Professor, University of Dayton • conversation
May 10, 2021 • ~9 min

Patent system often stifles the innovation it was designed to encourage

Too many patents and too little information about them makes it hard for the system to weed out patents that unfairly block inventors.

Janet Freilich, Associate Professor of Law, Fordham University • conversation
March 16, 2021 • ~11 min

The iconic American inventor is still a white male – and that's an obstacle to race and gender inclusion

The story of the invention in America typically features larger-than-life caricatures of white men like Thomas Edison while largely ignoring the contributions of women and people of color.

Anjali Vats, Associate Professor of Communication and African and African Diaspora Studies and Associate Professor of Law (By Courtesy), Boston College • conversation
Dec. 8, 2020 • ~9 min

Nobel Prize for CRISPR honors two great scientists – and leaves out many others

Most scientific discoveries these days aren't easily ascribed to a single researcher. CRISPR is no different – and ongoing patent fights underscore how messy research can be.

Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College • conversation
Oct. 7, 2020 • ~9 min

Video: Who should get a COVID-19 vaccine first?

A bioethicist explains a recent report that recommends how to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine equitably.

Nicole Hassoun, Professor of Philosophy, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
Sept. 18, 2020 • ~8 min

When states pass social liberalization laws, they create regional advantages for innovation

Inventors in states with more socially liberal laws on the books end up with more diverse collaborators – and more higher-impact patents.

Laurina Zhang, Assistant Professor of Strategy & Innovation, Boston University • conversation
July 9, 2020 • ~8 min

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