Global intellectual property rights

knowledge, access and development

Edited by
Peter Drahos, Ruth Mayne

Palgrave Macmillan

2002

Abstract

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.