Public-Private Partnership in the Development of the Hepatitis B Vaccine in Korea: Implications for Developing Countries

Abstract

National innovation in science and technology depends on many factors. This article presents a case study of the development of hepatitis B vaccine in Korea. It examines the influence of government policy, private sector strategies, intellectual property rights, regulatory frameworks, and programmes of foundations and other donors. The article leads to the conclusion that the most important factor to stimulate the development of products for developing countries is the creation of markets through, for example, the creation of international procurement funds to bridge the gap between real needs and effective demand. Intellectual property rights are often portrayed as a major deterrent to the availability of products for the poor in developing countries, but the hepatitis B case study does not support this assertion. On the national front, the most important inputs of the government are to support biomedical research, to provide transparent means of intellectual property protection and to support the development of national drug regulatory agencies.