Patent issues in eHealth, especially of North and South problems on telemedicine
Yasumitsu Tomioka, Isao Nakajima, Hiroshi Juzoji
2009
Citations
2
Citations
Journal
Journal name not available for this finding
Full text
Semantic Scholar
Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: Patent issues in telemedicine hinder its spread and promotion, preventing healthcare access for all, especially in developing countries.
Abstract
This paper intends to specifically verify what patent issues may be encountered in the telemedicine, using 2007, 2008 and 2009 International Property Rights Index (IPRI) which is the first international comparative study that measures the significance of both physical and intellectual property rights and their protection for economic well-being. Where “telemedicine” is defined as “the use of electronic information and communication technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants”, the technologies are concerned, when discussing the “telemedicine”, and we cannot avoid thinking about “patent” that serves to protect the “technologies” as rights. This patent issues acts as a hindrance factor against spreading and promoting the telemedicine. To solve this hindrance factor, i.e. the patent issues, and for the purpose of spreading and promoting the telemedicine so that the benefit of medicine may reach everybody, including the people living in the developing countries, to improve the health of people all over the world, it seems important to recognize the presence of “patent issues” in the field of “telemedicine”.