On 14th May 2026, the PatentsInHumans team were delighted to have a blogpost entitled: “Research Snapshot: ERC PatentsInHumans 2026 Research: Exploring Avenues to Engage with Considerations Related to Patient Health and Wellbeing within the Patent System” published as part of the May Ideas In ALL Blog Symposium, which focused on Health & Wellbeing.
This blogpost provides a snapshot of some of the main strands of research currently being conducted by the PatentsInHumans team, and emerging research findings. These strands include: (1) Human rights as an avenue to improve access to patented health-technologies & address bioethical implications of patents over health-technologies; (2) The scope to consider patient interests in the enforcement of patent rights; (3) The role of the public and donated materials in the development of patented technologies; and (4) The implications of patent for patients’ and health-care practitioners’ lived experiences. Reflecting on these emerging findings, the blogpost considers how patient wellbeing could be better reflected in patent systems and healthcare innovation.
Ultimately, the blogpost concludes by highlighting how such findings may contribute to addressing the overarching aim of the ERC PatentsInHumans project, which is to develop scholarly insights and policy recommendations which may enable us to reimagine patent systems towards a more person-centred approach which greater prioritises patient health and wellbeing.
You can find out more about the PatentsInHumans project on our website: www.patentsinhumans.eu and by watching this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFVRHpzzuQM
The PatentsInHumans project is funded by the European Union (ERC, PatentsInHumans, Project No. 101042147). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.