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Second World War and the direction of medical innovation

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  • Bhaven Sampat

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the role of the United States of America (U.S.) Second World War research effort on the direction of innovation, with a particular focus on medical research. It provides an overview of the U.S. wartime research program, reviews quantitative evidence on the effects of the overall wartime research shock on postwar patenting, describes the wartime medical research effort, and summarizes case studies of five major wartime medical research programs (penicillin, antimalarials, vaccines, blood substitutes, and hormones) and their effects on postwar R&D. It concludes by drawing out implications for crisis innovation and the direction of innovation in general, discussing mechanisms through which crises may have long-run effects, and highlighting hypotheses warranting further investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Bhaven Sampat, 2022. "Second World War and the direction of medical innovation," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 70, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    • Handle: RePEc:wip:wpaper:70
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    File URL: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-econstat-wp-70-en-second-world-war-and-the-direction-of-medical-innovation.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Second World War; direction of innovation; crisis innovation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • N42 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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