Health-care patents and interests of patients.

Editor – I wish to congratulate Anatole Krattiger & Richard T. Mahoney on their editorial in the May issue of the Bulletin.1 As they point out, “Developi ing health technologies for the world’s poor people increasingly requires the wise management of intellectual propi erty (IP), and the papers in this issue all treat IP as a strategic asset.” Patent protection is intended to promote rei search and development and to act as a stimulus to progress in science and the useful arts. New technologies and the translation of research discoveries into clinical medicine are essential for improvements in patient care. The ini creasing commercialization of medical discoveries, however, may hamper the dissemination of new knowledge and the ability of physicians and patients to benefit from applications of this knowli edge. All types of patents raise ethical issues and may create conflicts of interi est for physicians who contribute to the development of new products through research. Most current therapeutics are based on private ownership of pharmai ceutical discoveries, even if the origin of those therapies is based on publicly funded universityibased research. Historically, physicians have taught and shared medical information without regarding this knowledge as trade secrets to be protected from others. The comi mercial potential of medical discoveries may motivate physicians to increase their own incomes in ways that may jeopari dize the care of patients. The daunting task of all stakeholders is the continued development of patent policies that fairly balance the interests of competi ing interests of generic and brandiname companies.