Medicines Law & Policy

What Medicines Law & Policy does

Medicines Law & Policy (ML&P) is an independent, non-profit policy research organization headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, focused on the intersection of intellectual property law (particularly the WTO TRIPS Agreement) and public health. Founded by Ellen 't Hoen, a lawyer and public health advocate with over 30 years of experience, the organization produces legal analysis, technical briefing papers, model legislation, and the TRIPS Flexibilities Database, which tracks global instances where authorities have invoked or been asked to invoke TRIPS flexibilities for public health reasons. ML&P serves governments, NGOs, UN agencies (notably WHO and WTO), product development initiatives, and academic researchers working to improve access to medicines, with all resources distributed on an open-access basis.

ML&P's product surface spans a curated research publication stream (technical briefing papers, a topical blog), the proprietary TRIPS Flexibilities Database, and a suite of practitioner-ready legal tools including Model Government Use Licences, Model Uses of Paragraph 7 (LDC Waiver), Special Compulsory Licences for Export of Medicines, Options for Regional Economic Communities, and Voluntary Licence guidance. The organization also maintains dedicated resource hubs for the WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiations and Covid-19 policy response. Distribution is exclusively digital via the medicineslawandpolicy.org website, a Mailchimp newsletter, and active social channels on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, and Bluesky.

ML&P operates a non-profit funding model underwritten by institutional grants, donations, and partnerships with public-health-aligned organizations. It does not charge for any of its resources and does not generate commercial revenue from its products. Strategic activity centers on multilateral advocacy: ML&P engages directly in WHO Fair Pricing Forum, WHO Pandemic Agreement / PABS negotiations, and WTO TRIPS discussions, and co-convenes briefings with partners including the Medicines Patent Pool, Health Action International, Knowledge Ecology International, DNDi, Wemos, and the Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation.

Name

Medicines Law & Policy

Legal name

Medicines Law & Policy

Website

https://medicineslawandpolicy.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Medicines Law & Policy is an independent Amsterdam-based non-profit policy research organization providing free legal analysis, model legislation, and the TRIPS Flexibilities Database on intellectual property and access to medicines. It serves governments, NGOs, UN agencies, and researchers engaged in global health policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Policy Research

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health Law, Legal Counsel & Regulatory Affairs Offices (HLAJACAJ), Access Policy, Advocacy & Stakeholder Management (HLAIAKAL), Health Regulation, Licensing & Compliance (Public Health) (BPAIAJAN)

Keywords

• Access to medicines
• Intellectual property law
• TRIPS flexibilities
• Pharmaceutical policy research
• Public health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding and Grants: Medicines Law & Policy appears to operate as a non-profit research organization funded through institutional grants, donations, and partnerships with public health organizations. The organization provides its resources and analysis free of charge to practitioners working on access to medicines.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Medicines Law & Policy is a non-profit policy research organization that publishes analysis, legal tools, and data on intellectual property law and access to medicines. Its core offerings include the TRIPS Flexibilities Database, model government use licences and compulsory licensing templates, technical briefing papers, and policy resources on pandemic preparedness and Covid-19 response, distributed free of charge to governments, NGOs, and international organizations.

Product overview

Medicines Law & Policy is a policy research organization that provides analysis, tools, and data on intellectual property and health. Their offerings include the TRIPS Flexibilities Database (a searchable database of instances when authorities have invoked TRIPS Agreement flexibilities for public health), legal tools and model templates for government use licences, compulsory licensing frameworks, and voluntary licensing resources. They also produce technical briefing papers, blog posts, and specialized resources on pandemic preparedness and Covid-19 response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRIPS Flexibilities Database: Database tracking instances when authorities have invoked, planned to invoke, or been asked to invoke flexibilities contained in the TRIPS Agreement for public health reasons.

Products and services

• TRIPS Flexibilities Database Searchable database that records instances when authorities have invoked, planned to invoke, or been asked to invoke flexibilities contained in the TRIPS Agreement for public health reasons; targeted at policymakers, advocates, and researchers.
• Model Government Use Licences Model legal templates that governments can adapt to issue government use licences for medicines, intended to expand access to patented pharmaceuticals.
• Model Uses of Paragraph 7 (LDC Waiver) Model legal frameworks for utilizing Paragraph 7 provisions related to Least Developed Country (LDC) waivers under the TRIPS Agreement, aimed at supporting access to medicines in LDCs.
• Special Compulsory Licences for Export of Medicines Legal tools and frameworks for issuing compulsory licences specifically intended to enable the export of medicines to countries with insufficient manufacturing capacity.
• Options for Regional Economic Communities Policy frameworks and options for regional economic communities seeking to leverage TRIPS flexibilities to expand access to medicines across member states.
• Voluntary Licences Resource Resources and guidance on voluntary licensing mechanisms, intended to inform governments and advocates on the use of voluntary licences for medicines access.
• Technical Briefing Papers In-depth research and analysis publications on issues affecting access to medicines, intended for policymakers, advocates, and researchers.
• Pandemic Agreement Resources Analysis and resources covering the WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiations, technology transfer provisions, and implementation, aimed at policymakers and advocates.
• COVID-19 Policy Resources Policy analysis on actions governments and the international community can take to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future health emergencies, including TRIPS waiver and C-TAP commentary.

Quantifiable outcome

• Medicines Law & Policy tracked the use of legal tools to reduce medicines prices showing expansion of access over two decades (2026)

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WHO Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedicines Law & Policy supports and engages with C-TAP, the WHO initiative launched in May 2020 to pool COVID-19 related intellectual property rights to facilitate global scaling-up of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
• Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P works closely with the Medicines Patent Pool, an organization that negotiates voluntary licenses for essential medicines. ML&P presented the TRIPS Flexibilities Database at WHO Fair Pricing Forum and supports MPP's work on licensing for access to medicines.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P engages with WHO on access to medicines policy, including participation in WHO Fair Pricing Forum, input on Pandemic Agreement negotiations, and commentary on WHO Essential Medicines List decisions.
• World Trade Organization (WTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P provides analysis and commentary on WTO TRIPS Agreement issues, including the COVID-19 TRIPS Decision, and engages in discussions on intellectual property waivers and compulsory licensing at WTO.
• Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P references DNDi as an example of successful innovation using a delinked model for financing R&D, and DNDi is mentioned as a partner organization in access to medicines discussions.
• Health Action InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P co-convened a briefing on WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool with Health Action International and other organizations in advance of the World Health Assembly.
• Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P co-convened events with KEI on access to medicines and IP policy issues, including the WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool briefing.
• Pharmaceutical Accountability FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P affiliates including Katrina Perehudoff serve on the board of the Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation, and ML&P co-convened events with the organization.
• WemosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerML&P co-convened the WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool briefing with Wemos and other civil society organizations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi): A product development partnership pioneering alternative (delinked) R&D financing models. ML&P cites DNDi as an example in its access-to-medicines research; comparable DNA of working on neglected-disease medicines and alternative IP frameworks.

Direct peers

• Third World Network (TWN): A think tank that conducts research and advocacy on trade, IP, and access to medicines, particularly for developing countries. Its policy briefs, position papers, and engagement at WHO/WTO directly parallel ML&P's mandate.
• South Centre: Intergovernmental think tank of developing countries providing policy advice on trade, IP, and public health. Highly comparable as a research/policy organization shaping multilateral positions on TRIPS and access to medicines.
• Health Action International (HAI): Amsterdam-based civil society organization focused on medicines policy, pricing, and access. ML&P co-convened briefings with HAI on the WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool, indicating direct overlap in advocacy and policy tooling.
• Public Citizen (Access to Medicines program): US consumer advocacy organization with a long-running Access to Medicines program working on TRIPS, compulsory licensing, and drug pricing — operating in the same IP/public health advocacy niche as ML&P.
• Knowledge Ecology International (KEI): A US-based non-profit that conducts advocacy and research on IP, access to medicines, and pricing — directly co-convening events with ML&P on WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool and other IP-policy issues. Highly comparable mission, audience, and tools.
• Medicines Patent Pool (MPP): UN-backed public health organization negotiating voluntary licences for essential medicines. ML&P presented its TRIPS Flexibilities Database at the WHO Fair Pricing Forum and supports MPP's licensing-for-access mandate, making it a tightly coupled peer.
• Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation: Dutch non-profit that holds pharmaceutical companies accountable for access-to-medicines commitments. ML&P affiliates sit on its board and the two organizations co-convene events — directly aligned mandate and audience.
• Wemos: Netherlands-based civil society organization working on global health, medicines access, and EU/international policy. ML&P co-convened the WHO Covid-19 Technology Pool briefing with Wemos, reflecting shared mandate and overlapping audiences.

Others

• World Health Organization (WHO) — Department of Health Product Policy and Standards: UN specialized agency that ML&P engages with on Pandemic Agreement negotiations, Essential Medicines List decisions, and Fair Pricing Forums. Classified as an institutional stakeholder/buyer of ML&P's policy analysis rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MedsLawPolicy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV8PdoJJRuZKUHVL5ixnA9Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/medicineslawandpolicy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medicines-law-policy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Medicines Law & Policy