Posted to COGR Listserv 4/21/20:
A number of groups have proposed pledges and statements of principles with regard to IP rights and the licensing of technologies related to COVID-19. These include the Open COVID Pledge https://opencovidpledge.org/pledge/; the Stanford Technology Access Framework https://otl.stanford.edu/covid-19-technology-access-framework; and the AUTM Licensing Guidelines https://autm.net/about-tech-transfer/covid19/covid-19-licensing-guidelines.
COGR member institutions may wish to review these statements and consider signing on to one or more of them. In reviewing these statements, COGR believes a number of considerations should be kept in mind. One is the importance of considering the interests of all stakeholders in the institution, including faculty. Another is whether for a given technology, use of non-exclusive licenses is in fact the best and most effective strategy to facilitate rapid pandemic responses and broad distribution of technologies that address COVID-19. Finally, a commitment to such approaches should be viewed as applicable only in the extraordinary circumstances of the current pandemic, and not necessarily appropriate to achieving broad dissemination of and access to non- COVID -19-related technologies.
The AUTM COVID-19 Licensing Guidelines build on the Nine Points to Consider in Licensing University Technology. COGR endorsed that framework statement. Therefore we have also signed on to the AUTM Guidelines. However, we believe that the above considerations need to be kept in mind.
Please contact Robert Hardy, COGR Director of Research Security and Intellectual Property Management, at rhardy@cogr.edu with any questions.
