In a new licensing best-practices document released this week, eleven top research universities and the Association of American Medical Colleges committed to changes that may make university medical breakthroughs more widely available in developing countries. The document recognizes for the first time that “universities should strive to construct licensing arrangements in ways that ensure that these underprivileged populations have low- or no-cost access to adequate quantities of [university-developed] medical innovations.” The release follows on the heels of UAEM’s Philadelphia Consensus Statement, which called for such changes. The Philadelphia Consensus Statement was endorsed by over a hundred top scientists and public health luminaries, as well as thousands of students and others at 135 campuses around the world.

Students called the universities’ announcement a major milestone, but said it must be a beginning, not an end. In particular, UAEM looks forward to working with universities on specific model licensing language, absent in the new guidelines, and we emphasize the urgency of the task.

• UAEM Press Release
• University White Paper