Intellectual Property Rights, Technology and Economic Development

The ongoing attempt to harmonise and strengthen the intellectual property protection (IPP) regimes worldwide, as part of the TRIPs Agreement, appears to be adversely affecting technological activity in the developing countries by choking the knowledge spillovers from industrialised countries to developing countries. Furthermore, the implementation of the provisions of the TRIPs Agreement threatens poor people�s access to and affordability of life-saving drugs by pushing up their prices. This has been highlighted by the recent controversy regarding the availability of AIDS drugs in South Africa. In this context, this paper attempts to critically review the literature on the role of the IPP regime with particular reference to Asian countries and to draw out policy options.