The Legal Boundaries of User Innovation and Patents with Prof. Andrew Torrance

We welcome Prof. Andrew Torrance, distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Kansas and visiting scholar at MIT, to discuss the complex legal landscape surrounding user innovation and patents. The conversation delves into the freedom and challenges of product innovation, the balance between open and closed inventions, and the ethical implications of experimental treatments. They also explore the historical and ongoing impact of FDA regulations and the role of patents in fostering or hindering innovation. Sponsored by Wazoku, this episode is essential listening for innovators, legal experts, and anyone interested in the intersection of technology, law, and ethics.

00:00 Introduction and Wazoku Sponsor Message

00:27 Upcoming Reinvention Summit

01:01 Previous Episodes Recap

01:28 Introducing Andrew W. Torrance

02:01 Legal Aspects of Free User Innovation

03:29 Experimenting and Sharing Innovations

09:02 Selling Innovations and Legal Implications

11:07 Influencers and Legal Responsibilities

17:21 Trust in the FDA and Alternative Medicine

24:38 Patient Rights and Experimental Drugs

30:44 Patenting Innovations

38:54 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

39:44 Final Wazoku Sponsor Message

Andrew on SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=625609

Ted Talk: https://youtu.be/g8GTg_632qY?si=lieqXrcdwUWD1l_l

Andrew's most recent talk on “Innovation Hypercycles: The Rise and Fall of Technology Hotspots”, https://facultyaffairs.ku.edu/distinguished-professors