Thomas R. McLean

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Thomas R. McLean is a pioneering figure at the intersection of surgery, law, and health policy, best known for his work on the legal and economic barriers to cybersurgery and robotic surgery adoption. His most-cited paper, "Are the Brookhill–Wilk patents impediments to market growth in cybersurgery?" (2008, 4 citations), critically examines how patent law—specifically the Brookhill–Wilk patents—has stifled innovation and market expansion in remote and robotic surgery. McLean’s major contribution lies in exposing the often-overlooked legal frameworks that govern high-tech surgical instruments, arguing that surgeons must understand patent law to navigate the future of their field. His work bridges clinical practice and intellectual property, highlighting how litigation and patent thickets can delay life-saving technologies. Though his citation count is modest, his influence is notable among health law and surgical innovation scholars. McLean’s broader achievements include advocating for policy reforms to accelerate cybersurgery deployment, making him a unique voice in the discourse on surgical technology regulation. For students and researchers, his work offers a critical lens on how non-clinical factors shape surgical progress.