Pandemic-Resilient Investment: Sustainable Knowledge Infrastructure for Medical AI

While the meteoric rise of medical AI promises transformative solutions to global health challenges, ensuring equitable access to these life-saving technologies remains a formidable obstacle. Policymakers wrestle with a seemingly impossible feat: fostering the continued innovation pipeline while bridging the stark divide in accessibility. Existing patent-sharing mechanisms, from compulsory licensing to voluntary pledges, have proven demonstrably insufficient, failing to strike the delicate balance between incentivizing innovation and guaranteeing widespread availability. This paper proposes a bold departure from these one-size-fits-all solutions. Drawing upon the principles of distributive justice, I present a two-pronged solution that tackles the issue from both ends of the spectrum. On the macro level, it calls for international collaboration and reciprocity among states, urging them to fulfill their shared responsibility in making patented medical technologies universally and affordably accessible. On the micro level, it compels patent holders to embrace ethical responsibility, challenging them to confront the inherent inequities of intellectual property protection. This novel framework represents a paradigm shift, holding immense potential to unlock a future where medical advancements reach every corner of the globe. Unlike its predecessors, it recognizes the intricate dance between innovation and access, offering a practical roadmap for policymakers and patent holders. By embracing cooperation and ethical responsibility, we can pave the way for a healthier world where the promise of medical AI translates into tangible improvements for people everywhere, not just a privileged few. This is not simply an academic pursuit but a call to action, a challenge to rewrite the narrative of medical technology distribution and forge a future where health equity reigns supreme.