Access to Medicine in the Global Economy International Agreements on Patents and Related Rights

A single-volume introduction to how patents impact access to medicine accessible to readers with no prior knowledge of patent law or international obligations on patents while still providing new legal analysis for existing scholars in this area
Provides new legal analysis of current controversies under important international agreements (including TRIPS, ACTA and various FTAs) with real-world application and illustrations
Synthesizes existing law together with a new theory on patents to provide an enhanced understanding of past and future issues concerning access to medicine
Clear layouts, chapter summaries, and many cited references in each chapter ensure that the book is a useful and easy to use research tool
Provides clear and engaging explanations of controversial and often confusing issues using a variety of methods including case studies, frequently-asked questions (FAQ's), summary tables and diagrams.Promotes an understanding of international agreements that impact access to life-saving drugs (through patent and related rights
Access to medicine is a topic of widespread interest. However, some issues that impact such access are presently inadequately understood. In particular, international laws require most nations to provide patents on drugs, resulting in premium prices that limit access. In Access to Medicine in the Global Economy, Professor Cynthia Ho explains such laws and their impact for a diverse group of readers, from scholars and policy makers to students in a variety of disciplines. This book explains and interprets important international agreements, beginning with the landmark Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS), but also including more recent free trade agreements and the pending Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Professor Ho addresses controversial topics, such as when a nation can provide a compulsory license, as well as whether a nation may suspend in-transit generic goods. The book also discusses how patent-like rights (such as "data exclusivity") prevent lower-cost generic medicines from entering into the marketplace and provides strategies for minimizing the harm of such rights. Clear explanations and diagrams, frequently asked questions, and case studies make these topics accessible to any reader. The case studies also provide a theory of patent perspectives that helps explain why access to medicine, though a universal goal, remains elusive in practice. The book aims to provide an important first step toward eventual workable solutions by promoting a better understanding of existing and future laws that impact access to medicine.


Readership: Professors and students in the areas of International law and international trade or development; Professors and students in the areas of health law or public health; policy makers and advocates