From The Metro (UK):
An Italian hospital that ran out of life-saving equipment for coronavirus patients was saved by a ‘hero’ engineer who used cutting-edge technology to design oxygen valves within a matter of hours.
At least 10 lives were saved when technician Christian Fracassi came to the aid of an overwhelmed Brescia hospital that ran out of breathing tubes for an intensive care machine on Saturday. Doctors raised the alarm after their regular supplier said they could not produce the valves on time – forcing them to come up with an alternative solution.
With the help of the editor of a local newspaper Giornale di Brescia and tech expert Massimo Temporelli, doctors launched a search for a 3D printer – a devise that produces three dimensional objects from computer designs.
Word soon reached Fracassi, a pharmaceutical company boss in possession of the coveted machine. He immediately brought his device to the hospital and, in just a few hours, redesigned and then produced the missing piece.
Now, despite the country battling an unprecedented health crisis, there is potential for a legal battle with local media reporting that the manufacturers of the valves are refusing to share their blue print for further production and could potentially sue for copyright breaches.
I would assume the same scenario could easily surface in the litigation-happy United States. Therefore, Congress should pass some legislation to cover such lifesavers:
If an action is taken in pursuit of the treatment of COVID-19 which would be considered to be in violation of copyright or trademark laws, the violation will be considered null and void, and no penalty will apply to all those in support of said action, so long as aberrational profits are not taken by those responsible.
I do believe I’ll be sending that on to my Congressional reps.
