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29 YEARS WITHOUT JONAS SALK: AGAINST THE NORMALIZATION OF THE ABSURD
 
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Alan Rossi Silva and Joost Smiers
June 21, 2024
Peoples Dispatch
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_ Nearly three decades after Jonas Salk’s passing, his legacy
continues to highlight the need for building a different
pharmaceutical industry. _

, Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

“The people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the
sun?” This was Jonas Salk’s reaction
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a 1955 interview when Edward R. Murrow asked him about the ownership
of the patent for the newly invented polio vaccine. Almost 70 years
later, in 2024, this response continues to surprise new generations
and inspire change.

The interviewer’s question is also striking: “Who owns the patent
on this vaccine?” Murrow did not ask whether anyone would hold a
patent on this invention. The way this question is framed conveys an
undeniable air of naturalness. It is based on what the interviewer
perceived was a logical assumption: “If there is a potentially
profitable invention, then of course someone already holds exclusive
rights to it.”

Watching the recording of the interview, it is clear that Jonas Salk
disagrees with this logic. Various people might detect traces of
indignation, surprise, and even irony in his brief statement. His
memorable response is, in fact, a curious blend of these emotions.
Nevertheless, it also reflects other sentiments that can be
particularly useful in addressing our current challenges. To this day,
Salk’s stance impresses with its courage, selflessness, and
spontaneity.

Especially relevant is Jonas Salk’s ability to recognize the absurd.
Despite the supposed naturalness of Murrow’s question, Salk is not
fooled and, disconcertingly, points out the impropriety of the
question. After all, how could anyone think of limiting the production
and access to a technology capable of saving millions of lives?

It is precisely for this reason that Jonas Salk continues to inspire
an infinite number of people and initiatives around the world,
including the ongoing work of his own institute in the United States
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Moreover, he has also been one of the main inspirations for the Public
Pharma for Europe movement, giving his name to one of its most
promising proposals: the European Salk Institute
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organization Medics for the People
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organizations worldwide.

More than publishing op-eds and naming institutes after him, however,
the only way to truly honor the legacy of Jonas Salk is by denouncing
the intrinsic immorality of the patent system and adopting an
uncompromising stance towards justice.

Jonas Salk’s memory is especially relevant in current times when we
seem to be trapped by a tragic mixture of false pragmatism, despair,
and lack of imagination. With few exceptions (e.g., here
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without really breaking away from the core of Murrow’s logic, the
vision of our youth, social movements, and academics seems to be
limited to “balancing” patent systems, reforming patent laws,
“negotiating” voluntary licenses, implementing TRIPS
flexibilities, begging for temporary IP waivers, emphasizing the need
of defensive patents, and even advocating for increasing the number of
patents originating in the Global South.

We can aim for much more: it is important to remember that not
everything is lost, and the flame of indignation is still alive.
Following Salk’s example and challenging the deadly neoliberal
consensus, Radder and Smiers, for example, propose a concrete
alternative: medical research without patents
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Their model is shown to be scientifically, socially, and morally
preferable. It is also economically and financially profitable, and
socio-politically and organizationally practicable. Their perspective
provides a beacon of hope, demonstrating that with bold ideas and
collective effort, we can reshape our future!

As we approach the 29th anniversary of Jonas Salk’s death on June
23, we must unequivocally reject the notion that life-saving medical
innovations can be commodified and confined by patents. By embracing
Salk’s vision, we can strive towards a world where scientific
breakthroughs serve humanity as a whole, not the profits of a few. It
is time to challenge and transform the status quo, ensuring that the
next generation looks back at our era and sees the courage to end this
absurdity.

_ALAN ROSSI SILVA __holds a PhD in Law and is a project coordinator
at the People’s Health Movement._

_JOOST SMIERS__ is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the
Utrecht University of the Arts. More information about his work is
available
at:_ _https://joostsmiers-dissenting.nl/joost-smiers/in-english/_
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_PEOPLE’S HEALTH DISPATCH_ _is a fortnightly bulletin published by
the_ _PEOPLE’S HEALTH MOVEMENT_
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articles and subscription to People’s Health Dispatch,
click_ _HERE_ [[link removed]]_. __This
article was co-published with Outra Saúde and can be found in
Portuguese HERE
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* patents
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* pharmaceutical companies
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* Healthcare
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