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What patents list Anthony Fauci as an inventor and have generated royalties?
Executive summary
Public records show Anthony S. Fauci is named as a co‑inventor on multiple U.S. patent documents related to HIV‑research, including at least patents assigned to the U.S. government such as “Use of antagonists of the interaction between HIV GP120 and α4β7 integrin” (examples appear on Justia’s inventor listing) [1]. Available sources do not provide authoritative evidence that Dr. Fauci personally received royalty income from those specific patents; several fact‑checks and reporting note the patents are owned by the Department of Health and Human Services rather than by Fauci as an individual [2] [3].
1. What the patent records actually show — Fauci listed as a co‑inventor
Patent databases and aggregated pages list Anthony S. Fauci among inventors on multiple patent applications and granted patents arising from NIH or related research teams; Justia’s inventor search yields entries naming “Anthony S. Fauci” on HIV‑related inventions alongside other scientists [1]. Many secondary sites republish similar lists of patents and applications that include Fauci’s name [4] [5] [6]. These listings demonstrate that Fauci’s name appears in inventor fields of patent documents — which is a factual point present in the record [1].
2. Who holds the patents — government assignment, not private ownership
Reporting summarized by fact‑checkers indicates the relevant patents are owned by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or assigned to the United States rather than personally to Fauci; Poynter’s fact check explicitly explains that several patents cited in viral claims “are owned by the Department of Health and Human Services” [2]. This distinction matters because inventor credit on a patent does not automatically mean individual ownership or entitlement to royalty payments; assignment to HHS changes who legally controls licensing [2].
3. Royalties and personal income — available sources are silent or dispute personal payments
Some online posts and conspiracy pieces assert Fauci “collects millions in royalties” from drugs tied to those patents, but available reporting and the government‑assignment information do not substantiate claims that Fauci personally received such royalties [7] [8]. The curated listings (e.g., ShopMaskless or blog reposts) reproduce patent numbers and abstracts but do not document royalty payments to Fauci himself [3]. Poynter’s fact check labels a prominent claim about Fauci’s patents and alleged creation of COVID‑19 as FALSE, noting the patents cited relate to HIV treatments and are owned by HHS [2].
4. Where the misinformation has spread and the patterns to watch
Several blogs, social posts and fringe sites amplify a narrative that Fauci “holds patents” that somehow generated personal wealth tied to COVID‑19; examples include Civilian Intelligence Network and other reposts that conflate inventor listing, government assignment, and speculative royalty claims [8] [9] [7]. These pieces often repurpose the same patent numbers and mix accurate bibliographic facts with unverified assertions about motive and personal profit [8] [9]. Poynter’s debunking highlights how a specific claim morphed into a broader falsehood about causation and personal gain [2].
5. Competing perspectives and what each side emphasizes
Supporters of the claim emphasize the literal presence of Fauci’s name on patent documents and reuse patent numbers to suggest a financial motive [8] [9]. Mainstream fact‑checking and reporting counter that although his name appears on patents, the patents are government‑owned and the cited patents relate to HIV research — not to the creation of SARS‑CoV‑2 — and there is no reputable evidence Fauci personally profited from them [2] [3]. Both strands use the same primary patent data but diverge sharply in interpretation: one infers intent and profit, the other stresses legal assignment and lack of proof of personal royalties [1] [2].
6. Bottom line and recommended next steps for verification
The record supports that Anthony S. Fauci is listed as an inventor on multiple patent documents (see patent listings such as Justia) [1]. Claims that he personally “holds” those patents as private property or extracted significant royalties are not substantiated in the available reporting and have been challenged by fact‑checks noting government ownership [2] [3]. If you want definitive answers about payments or licensing revenue, consult primary USPTO assignment records and HHS licensing disclosures or file a Freedom of Information Act request to HHS — available sources do not provide direct evidence of Fauci receiving royalties [1] [2].