In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess examines how NIH-funded research fits into the U.S. innovation and IP ecosystem, and why today’s political rhetoric about “government-developed drugs” often misses how commercialization actually happens. Featuring expert perspectives on NIH technology transfer and drug IP from:


Mark Rohrbaugh: Former Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation Policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), IP Consultant at Vital Transformation


Gwen O’Loughlin: Research Partner at Vital Transformation

They discuss how the Bayh-Dole Act shaped university tech transfer, what government interest statements do - and do not - tell you about a drug’s origins, why “march-in rights” were designed as a development backstop rather than a pricing tool, and how proposals to redirect royalties or restrict NIH-industry collaboration could disrupt the pipeline that turns early science into real-world therapies.

Key Topics:


NIH’s Role in the Innovation Pipeline: How NIH funding de-risks foundational science, how industry and universities translate it, and why “NIH developed all drugs” is a misleading simplification.


Government Interest Statements: What the statement signals, why it is inconsistently surfaced across patents, and what large-scale reviews suggest about how often it appears in drug-related patent portfolios.


March-In Rights and Policy Misuse: The original purpose (anti-shelving and public health needs), how petitions are evaluated in practice, and why pricing-based efforts have not succeeded.


Mechanisms Supporting Translation: Why CRADAs and licensing structures matter for bringing technologies to market and for enabling NIH research with proprietary industry tools.


Forward Outlook: How royalty diversion or restricting partnerships could weaken incentives and capacity, and why the guests anticipate near-term disruption with longer-term consequences.

Opinions expressed are those of the speakers.

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duane-schulthess-66ba39b7/">Duane Schulthess</a> examines how NIH-funded research fits into the U.S. innovation and IP ecosystem, and why today&rsquo;s political rhetoric about &ldquo;government-developed drugs&rdquo; often misses how commercialization actually happens. Featuring expert perspectives on NIH technology transfer and drug IP from:
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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-l-rohrbaugh-9462a57/">Mark Rohrbaugh</a>: Former Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation Policy at the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-institutes-of-health/">National Institutes of Health (NIH)</a>, IP Consultant at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/vital-transformation/">Vital Transformation</a>
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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-o-loughlin-8792003a9/">Gwen O&rsquo;Loughlin</a>: Research Partner&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/vital-transformation/">Vital Transformation</a>
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</ul>
They discuss how the Bayh-Dole Act shaped university tech transfer, what government interest statements do - and do not - tell you about a drug&rsquo;s origins, why &ldquo;march-in rights&rdquo; were designed as a development backstop rather than a pricing tool, and how proposals to redirect royalties or restrict NIH-industry collaboration could disrupt the pipeline that turns early science into real-world therapies.
Key Topics:
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NIH&rsquo;s Role in the Innovation Pipeline: How NIH funding de-risks foundational science, how industry and universities translate it, and why &ldquo;NIH developed all drugs&rdquo; is a misleading simplification.
</li>
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Government Interest Statements: What the statement signals, why it is inconsistently surfaced across patents, and what large-scale reviews suggest about how often it appears in drug-related patent portfolios.
</li>
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March-In Rights and Policy Misuse: The original purpose (anti-shelving and public health needs), how petitions are evaluated in practice, and why pricing-based efforts have not succeeded.
</li>
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Mechanisms Supporting Translation: Why CRADAs and licensing structures matter for bringing technologies to market and for enabling NIH research with proprietary industry tools.
</li>
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Forward Outlook: How royalty diversion or restricting partnerships could weaken incentives and capacity, and why the guests anticipate near-term disruption with longer-term consequences.
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</ul>
Opinions expressed are those of the speakers.

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess, Managing Director of Vital Tran…