Edward R. Murrow: Who owns the patent on this vaccine? Jonas Salk: Well, the people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- When asked about the vaccine patent, Salk claimed it belongs to the people, noting that just as you cannot patent the sun, there should be no patent for the vaccine.
- In plain terms
- The vaccine belongs to everyone, like the sun.
- What can you take from it?
- Public goods should be free from patent restrictions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who owns scientific discoveries?
- Should vaccines be patented?
Another view
Patents often fund the research needed to create such innovations.
More from Jonas Salk
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