NIH policy to ask partner companies for access plans

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a first-of-its-kind draft policy proposal to promote equal access to products stemming from NIH-owned inventions.

This proposal would require organizations partnering with the NIH through patent license agreements to outline detailed plans for patient access to drugs, biologics, vaccines, or devices developed from NIH-owned inventions.

"Access is of paramount importance in providing a return on taxpayers' investment in biomedical research"Through this proposed scheme, the agency is accelerating how breakthroughs in medical research originating from the NIH’s Intramural Research Program (IRP) can translate into affordable and sustainable solutions for patients across the country.