Arizona State University recent accomplishments in innovation, where it ranked in the top 10 worldwide U.S. patents is a good reminder that there are tremendous benefits to public/private partnerships when it comes to patent development.
It helps educational, private, and consumer sectors and provides endless opportunities for advancements in tech, bio, and healthcare.
It’s easy to forget that this was not the case before the Bayh-Dole Act was passed in 1980. The Bayh-Dole Act laid the groundwork that encouraged universities like ASU to engage in research and development activities by allowing them to retain ownership of inventions and patents resulting from federally funded projects. It created a culture of innovation that is enjoyed today.
It’s concerning that the Biden Administration has recently spoken about modifying the Bayh-Dole Act in a way where pricing is a factor in whether one of these inventions is accessible to the public.
That would be devastating to our university system and our economy as a whole. I hope that Arizona’s elected leaders in Congress, including ASU’s own Kyrsten Sinema, defend the Bayh-Dole Act from needless revisions.
