The increase in legal and regulatory measures arising out of COVID-19 is truly proportional to the growth of the pandemic itself. Although the measures affect all industries, many of these have direct implications and relevance on the healthcare and life sciences sectors. While some industries and services are forced to shut down, companies in the healthcare and life sciences ambit are pushed to work even harder, innovate faster, collaborate and be resilient at an unprecedented pace.
Such measures aim to assure supplies of medicines and medical devices at home as well as to accelerate R&D through incentives. While the pandemic has put some clinical trials in jeopardy, many jurisdictions are now passing special regulations to protect patients while ensuring that ongoing trials can continue. Industry peers are "sharing" IP, be it through compulsory licensing or forced collaborative manufacturing arrangements. Many countries have adopted specific measures to broaden access to telemedicine, a trend expected to survive and grow well beyond the pandemic. In this guide, our experts from jurisdictions in Asia Pacific; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Latin America; and North America provide high-level insights to commonly asked questions around market access, clinical trials, IP risks and telemedicine.