Should COVID-19 treatment be patented? Rethinking the theoretical justification for the grant of pharmaceutical patent

Journal article

Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2020). Should COVID-19 treatment be patented? Rethinking the theoretical justification for the grant of pharmaceutical patent. European Intellectual Property Review. 42(11), pp. 695-697.
AuthorsAdekola, Tolulope Anthony
Abstract

As the world continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, innovation and technology have found a new battleground. Against the backdrop of the emerging patent controversies surrounding Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics, this opinion reconsiders the theoretical justification for the grant of pharmaceutical patents.

Keywordscoronavirus; morals and law; patentable inventions; patents; pharmaceuticals
Year2020
JournalEuropean Intellectual Property Review
Journal citation42 (11), pp. 695-697
PublisherSweet & Maxwell
ISSN0142-0461
Page range695-697
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online2021
Publication process dates
Deposited02 Jun 2025
Additional information

© 2021 Sweet & Maxwell and its Contributors

Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/91y22/should-covid-19-treatment-be-patented-rethinking-the-theoretical-justification-for-the-grant-of-pharmaceutical-patent

Log in to edit

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 49
    total views
  • 2
    total downloads
  • 7
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Intellectual property and rare diseases : Addressing market failures through strategic frameworks
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony and Ola, Kunle. (2025). Intellectual property and rare diseases : Addressing market failures through strategic frameworks. European Intellectual Property Review. 47(4), pp. 220-227.
Intellectual property and local pharmaceutical production : Defining the need and meeting the challenge
Adekola, Tolulope. (2025). Intellectual property and local pharmaceutical production : Defining the need and meeting the challenge. In In Owoeye, Olasupo (Ed.). Contemporary issues in intellectual property law in Africa pp. 84-102 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003491392-6
MRNA technology transfer hub and intellectual property : Towards a more equitable and sustainable model
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony and Mercurio, Bryan. (2025). MRNA technology transfer hub and intellectual property : Towards a more equitable and sustainable model. World Trade Review. 24(2), pp. 303-320. https://doi.org/10.1017/S147474562400020X
Regulating genome-edited products – An international trade law perspective
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony, Ediboglu-Sakowsky, Ezgi, Endrich-Laimböck, Tobias, Graßer, Tabea, Hofmeister, Elisabeth, Wilfert, Juna Icaza and Kim, Daria. (2024). Regulating genome-edited products – An international trade law perspective. Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition Research Paper Series. 16(4), pp. Paper 24-13. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4988104
Pharmaceutical patent law and policy in Africa : A survey of selected SADC member states
Mercurio, Bryan, Adekola, Tolulope Anthony and Tsega, Chimdessa Fekadu. (2023). Pharmaceutical patent law and policy in Africa : A survey of selected SADC member states. Legal Studies. 43(2), pp. 331-350. https://doi.org/10.1017/lst.2022.43
When mRNA technology meets patent law : Innovation, barriers and public health
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2023). When mRNA technology meets patent law : Innovation, barriers and public health. Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice. 18(12), pp. 867-877. https://doi.org/10.1093/jiplp/jpad086
uman rights law, intellectual property and vaccine nationalism : Lessons for the post-COVID-19 world
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony and Majekolagbe, Faith O.. (2023). uman rights law, intellectual property and vaccine nationalism : Lessons for the post-COVID-19 world. Australian Journal of Human Rights. 29(2), pp. 375-393. https://doi.org/10.1080/1323238X.2023.2286941
Compulsory licences in a regional context : An appraisal of the TRIPS Amendment's special regional treatment
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2022). Compulsory licences in a regional context : An appraisal of the TRIPS Amendment's special regional treatment. GRUR International. 71(9), pp. 822-830. https://doi.org/10.1093/grurint/ikac075
Investment robo-advisors : Some reflections on China's regulatory experience
Xiao, Shanyun and Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2021). Investment robo-advisors : Some reflections on China's regulatory experience. Banking and Finance Law Review. 37(1), pp. 127-148.
Revisiting the public health implications of the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement [Letter]
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2020). Revisiting the public health implications of the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement [Letter]. Globalization and Health. 16(50), p. Article 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00579-y
Regional mechanism under DOHA Paragraph 6 system — The largely untested alternative route for access to patented medicines
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2020). Regional mechanism under DOHA Paragraph 6 system — The largely untested alternative route for access to patented medicines. 15(1), pp. 61-90.
Has the Doha Paragraph 6 system reached its limits?
Adekola, Tolulope. (2020). Has the Doha Paragraph 6 system reached its limits? Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice. 15(7), pp. 525-529. https://doi.org/10.1093/jiplp/jpaa058
Abolition of graphical representation in EU trademark directive : Should countries with similar provisions follow EU’s footsteps?
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2019). Abolition of graphical representation in EU trademark directive : Should countries with similar provisions follow EU’s footsteps? Journal of Intellectual Property Rights. 24, pp. 62-68.
Public health–oriented intellectual property and trade policies in Africa and the regional mechanism under Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights amendment
Adekola, T. A.. (2019). Public health–oriented intellectual property and trade policies in Africa and the regional mechanism under Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights amendment. Public Health. 173, pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2019.04.019
US–China trade war and the WTO dispute settlement mechanism
Adekola, Tolulope Anthony. (2019). US–China trade war and the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. Journal of International Trade Law and Policy. 18(3), pp. 125-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/JITLP-02-2019-0011