Topic proposal revised

Crystina Riffel

JUS494

October 12, 2008

Topic Proposal

 

 

 

Despite medical advances and increasing life expectancy, there is evidence of rising disparities in health status among people worldwide.  For my final research paper, I am proposing to research the issue of how drug technologies, specifically drug patents (intellectual property laws), create inequality between third world and industrialized countries.  The paper will attempt to understand how drug patents from pharmaceutical companies create severe inequality.

 

I.                   history/creation of patent laws

a.        patents and monopolies

II.                implementation of international patent laws

a.        who it affects

b.        human rights treaties

III.             Costs and benefits of drug technologies

a.        third world vs. industrialized countries

b.        how it affects lives

 

IV.       Conclusion—how drug technologies/drug patents have contributed to societal inequalities between third world and industrialized countries.

 

Possible sources:

 Amy Kapczynski “Strict International Patent Laws Hurt Developing Countries”.. YaleGlobal, 16 December 2002. Yale Global Online.

 

Trouiller et. al, “Drug Development for Neglected Diseases: a Deficient Market and a Public Health Policy Failure,” The Lancet, vol. 359, pp. 2188-94.

Philippe Cullet. “Patents Bill, TRIPs and Right to Health”. Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 36, No. 43 (Oct. 27 – Nov. 2, 2001), pp. 4049-4051 Published by: Economic and Political Weekly. JSTOR

 

Helene Cooper, Rachel Zimmerman and Laurie McGinley. “AIDS Epidemic Puts Drug Firms In a Vise: Treatment vs. Profits”. Wall Street Journal, Mar. 2, 2001

Kumariah Balasubramaniam. “Pharmaceutical Patents in Developing Countries: Policy Options”. Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 22, No. 19/21, Annual Number (May, 1987), pp. AN103-AN107+AN109-AN120 .Published by: Economic and Political Weekly. JSTOR

“Drug Patents and Public Health”. Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 36, No. 10 (Mar. 10-16, 2001), pp. 795-796 Published by: Economic and Political Weekly. JSTOR