Asevere shortage of medical oxygen – an essential medicine used for treating a number of conditions affecting newborns, children and adults – has been a problem for decades. Inadequate health care infrastructure, a lack of oxygen-related equipment, and prohibitively high costs are some of the challenges limiting access.

Though advances to treatment or preventive regimens have dramatically simplified care for people with diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis C or HIV, many people still struggle to take medicines every day. The problem is even more complex with children, who have difficulty swallowing pills. This can cause people to abandon treatment, which means they don’t get cured, drug-resistance can develop and diseases can continue to spread.

Though patents and intellectual property rights can incentivize innovation, they can also limit competition that can stabilize supply and reduce prices. Most low- and middle-income countries rely on imported health products, leaving them vulnerable to price volatility, supply chain disruptions or unavailability of essential health products, particularly during periods of supply scarcity.