Intellectual property, medicine and health : current debates (Second edition)

Intellectual Property, Medicine and Health examines critical issues and debates including access to knowledge and medicinal products, human rights and development, innovations in life technologies and the possibility for ethical frameworks for intellectual property law and its application in public health. The central question of trust and the beneficial interests of society in the use of products of intellectual property, particularly in the fulfilment of the right to access medicinal products, emerge as key to achieving meaningful access to knowledge in health and medicine and the realization of relevant and equitable use of the benefits of scientific research in all societies. This second edition ensures that the book continues to be a rigorous academic resource in current debates in intellectual property aspects of medicine, and to characterise these debates through new and updated examples, as well as to ensure the accuracy of the book with respect to significant developments, in particular, gene-related inventions and associated litigation, stem cell research, traditional knowledge and access and benefit-sharing, as well as detailed discussions of particularly significant litigation, including Novartis v India. In this way, it continues to capture the full breadth of issues through strategic examination of particular cases.

The updating ensures that recent and current issues are examined and analysed and that all law remains current and accurate, together with the revision of the resource list so that the book can act as a current research tool in these areas and indicate places to obtain further materials in the historical and legal precursors to these debates.