Global Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property rights such as patents can reduce access to knowledge in genetics, health, agriculture, education and information technology, particularly for people in developing countries. Global Intellectual Property Rights shows how the new global rules of intellectual property have been the product of the strategic behaviour of multinationals, rather than democratic dialogue. The final section of the book suggests strategies aimed at developing more flexible standard for poor countries, and for keeping knowledge in the intellectual commons.

Preface Notes on the Contributors List of Abbreviations Introduction; P. Drahos PART I: INNOVATION AND DIFFUSION OF TECHNOLOGY Exploring the Hidden Costs of Patents; S. Macdonald Pro-Competitive Measures under the TRIPS Agreement to Promote Technology Diffusion in Developing Countries; C. M. Correa PART II: DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY: GENETICS, HEALTH, AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Intellectual Property and the Human Genome; J. Sulston Access to Medicine and Compliance with the WTO TRIPS Accord: Models for State Practice in Developing Countries; J. Love Access to Medicines: Patents, Prices and Public Policy: Consumer Perspectives; K. Balasubramaniam Agricultural Research: Intellectual Property and the CGIAR System; M. Blakeney Don't Ignore Copyright, the 'Sleeping Giant' in the TRIPS and International Educational Agenda; A. Story Digital Millennium or Digital Domain? The Effect of IPRs in Software on Developing Countries; G. Lea PART III: KNOWLEDGE AND ACCESS: WHO MAKES THE RULES? Negotiating Intellectual Property Rights: Between Coercion and Dialogue; P. Drahos TRIPS and Developing Countries: How Level is the Playing Field? ; W. Pretorius PART IV: OWNERSHIP OF KNOWLEDGE: CHANGING THE RULES Rethinking IPRS and the TRIPS Agreement; M. Khor India's Plant Variety Protection and Farmer's Rights Legislation; S. Sahai Defending the Public Interest in TRIPS and the WTO; S. Picciotto The Global NGO Campaign on Patents and Access to Medicines: An Oxfam Perspective; R. Mayne Index