PATENT RIGHTS AND COVID-19: COMPULSORY LICENSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN MOZAMBIQUE

As the world reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, important legal questions surrounding Intellectual Property and public health remain highly relevant. In 2020, during the height of the global health crisis, I wrote an article examining patent rights, compulsory licensing, and the social function of Intellectual Property under Mozambican and international law.

The pandemic reignited global debates on access to medicines, ventilators, vaccines, and essential medical technologies. It also highlighted the tension between patent exclusivity and the broader public interest during public health emergencies.

Years later, these discussions continue influencing international legal and policy debates on innovation, healthcare access, pharmaceutical regulation, and the role of Intellectual Property in developing countries such as Mozambique.

Editorial Note (2026)

This article was originally written and published in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is being republished because the legal and ethical debates surrounding patent rights, compulsory licensing, access to medicines, and public health remain highly relevant both in Mozambique and internationally.

The discussion continues to shape conversations on Intellectual Property, innovation, pharmaceutical regulation, and the balance between private rights and public interest.

Six years later, the questions raised during the pandemic continue influencing Intellectual Property debates worldwide.

Read the original article here.

Originally published in 2020 | Republished and updated in 2026.