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The effect of the opioid crisis on patenting

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  • Cohle, Zachary
  • Ortega, Alberto

Abstract

The opioid crisis in the United States has resulted in a dramatic increase in overdose deaths over the last two decades. This crisis has created an economic ripple affecting an important engine of growth: patenting. Using patent data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), we show a negative effect of opioid prescriptions on the amount of patenting that occurs in a county. Despite inventive activities being hampered by the negative economic effects that opioid misuse creates in an area, we also find evidence that the opioid crisis incentivizes inventors to relocate. Similarly, we find a reduction in the number of high-tech firms and STEM graduates. We also show that the opioid crisis dramatically reduces the number of white and non-white inventors.

Suggested Citation

  • Cohle, Zachary & Ortega, Alberto, 2023. "The effect of the opioid crisis on patenting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 493-521.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:214:y:2023:i:c:p:493-521
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2023.08.002
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    1. Carolina Arteaga & Victoria Barone, 2023. "Democracy and The Opioid Epidemic," Working Papers tecipa-765, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D; Opioid crisis; Inventor mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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