BIO warns Russian Government about cost of ignoring IP

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) last week warned that the Russian Government’s plan to ignore intellectual property rights will not only hurt the country’s technological development, but also Russian scientists, patients and consumers.

In response to sanctions from countries protesting the invasion of Ukraine, a Russian Government decree will allow Russian companies to ignore patents and intellectual property rights from “unfriendly” countries, the Washington Post and other sources reported last week.

BIO issued the following statement:

“Retaliation of this kind will only serve to isolate Russian science and technology from the international mainstream. At the end of the day those who will be most hurt by this decision will not be innovative global companies, but Russian patients, scientists and consumers.

“The reality is that global science and international cooperation will go on, just without Russia, further deepening their isolation and further darkening the long-term prospects for the Russian people, their economy and their society. This is just one more example of how myopic and dangerous decisions by Russian leadership are harming the Russian people.

“BIO and our members strongly support efforts to ensure patients have access to medicines, both existing and yet to be created. Strong intellectual property protections are vital to a vibrant market for innovative biotechnology and for developing new treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. We urge the US government and our allies to pursue all efforts to both ensure patients have access to necessary medicines and for companies to have certainty that intellectual property is protected and promoted.”