What is Open Source Pharma

May 04, 2020. During the COVID 19 pandemic the case for open source pharmaceuticals has become even more urgent. Today I read a post that was published April 30th on Fast Company, titled How Open-Source Medicine Could Prepare Us for the Next Pandemic. It’s a long read full of good information, and a way to expand on what’s in the five year old post below. – rjb

I found this blog post on ConsortiumInfo.org, a website owned by Gesmer Updegrove LLP, “. . . a technology law firm internationally known for forming and representing more of the consortia that create and promote standards than any other law firm in the U.S.” Okay, that’s pretty arcane, isn’t it? Put simply, they help people form consortia. If some companies want to get together to develop a set of standards to follow, or if some developers want to form an open source organization, GU can help them. Andrew Updegrove wrote this blog post while on a flight returning from a meeting about forming a consortium for open source pharmaceuticals. It’s a long post, but it’s good. In it, Andrew talks about how closed source pharma works, why it doesn’t work for everyone, and how open source pharma might fill that gap.

Andrew Updegrove also writes a blog about self-publishing, if you’re interested, but below you will find the blog on Open Source Pharma.

What’s a neglected disease? It’s one that as much as half the world’s population is at risk of dying from, but which nevertheless doesn’t present an attractive profit target for any of the major pharmaceutical companies. Why? Because once again, those at risk can’t pay as much as patients in the developed world, and those in the developed world rarely get the disease. Diseases like malaria and drug resistant tuberculosis, which together claim millions of lives a year in developing countries. Open Source Pharma holds the promise of addressing these appalling realities, and it’s therefore imperative that it take hold in the marketplace.

What is Open Source Pharma (and why should you care)?