Human rights and the WTO : the case of patents and access to medicines

This book examines one of the most controversial aspects of the world trading systems: patents and access to medication. It looks at the claim that international trade law imposes rules that result in exclusive rights of pharmaceutical companies and high prices of medication, preventing access to new medication for diseases such as AIDS, anthrax, or bird flu. The book explains the issues involved in an accessible way and offers approaches to tackle the issue of how to better accommodate human rights in the trading system.