Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a descriptive and interpretive study into the political economy of intellectual
property rights, the conceptual and practical implications for the phenomenon of global
governance, and how developing countries experience problems with the implementation
of national policies that infringe on international intellectual property rights. The specific
area of interest is the generic medicine debate that ensued in South Africa after the
alleged violation of patent rights of anti-HIV/Aids drugs by the Department of Health.
The research question that is addressed is to what extent has the existing international
intellectual property rights regime been influenced and/or undermined by South Africa's
intended application of WTO regulations in terms of compulsory licensing and parallel
imports of "essential" medicines. In doing so, the paper examines the roles of the
important states, international organisations, institutions, and private sector firms within
the sphere ofthe political economy of intellectual property and how they impede upon or
improve the functioning of the intellectual property rights regime.
The methodology entails analytical inquiries into documentary evidence on the nature of
the international intellectual property rights regime. Areas that are examined are the
agendas of the important actors, namely states and their respective departments;
individuals and firms; and international organisations. The concept of intellectual
property is examined to determine its dynamic role within the generic medicine debate.
The thesis concludes that the agendas of pharmaceutical firms and states are exploiting
current political stalemates in the negotiations for a fair intellectual property rights
regime. National health agencies, and specifically the South African Department of
Health, are under enormous pressure to provide affordable health services. Specifically,
the US Government and US pharmaceutical firms are dominating discussions on the
architecture of the international intellectual property law regime. By using an analysis
incorporating systemic, domestic interest, institutional, and ideational perspectives, it is
argued that South Africa's drive for a more distributive intellectual property rights regime
has placed the issue of health, Aids and generic medicine firmly within the sphere of the
political economy of trade agreements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is 'n deskriptiewe en 'n interpretiewe studie oor die politieke ekonomie van
intellektuele eiendomsregte, die konseptuele en praktiese implikasies vir die verskynsel
van globale regering, en hoe ontwikkelende lande probleme ervaar met die
implimentering van nasionale beleid wat internasionale intellektuele eiendomsregte
aantas. Die spesifieke area van belang is die generiese medisyne debat wat onstaan het na
die beweerde skending van patentregte van anti-HIVNigs medisyne deur die
Departement van Gesondheid.
Die navorsingsvraag wat beantwoord word behels die omvang van die impak van Suid-
Afrika se voorgenome toepassing van WTO bepalinge, met betrekking tot die verpligte
lisensiering en parallelle invoer van "essensiele" medisyne, op die bestaande
internasionale intellektuele eiedomsreg regime. Hierdie tesis ondersoek vervolgens die
rol van state, internasionale organisasies, instellings, en privaat sector firmas binne die
sfeer van die politieke ekonomie van intellektuele eiendom en hoe hulle afsonderlik die
funksionaliteit van die intellektuele eiendomsregte regime beïnvloed.
Die metodologie behels 'n analitiese ondersoek van die literatuur oor die aard van
internasionale intellektuele eiendomsreg regimes. Areas wat ondersoek word, is die
agendas van belangrike akteurs, naamlik die staat en sy onderskeie departemente;
individue en firmas; asook internasionale organisasies en instellings. Die konsep van
intellektuele eiendom word ondersoek om die dinamiese uitwerking daarvan op die
generiese medisyne debat te verstaan.
Hierdie tesis voer aan dat die agendas van firmas, spesifiek farmaseutiese firmas en state
die huidige politieke dooiepunt in die onderhandeling rondom 'n regverdige intellektuele
iendomsregte-regime, uitbuit. Nasionale instellings, soos die Suid-Afrikaanse
Departement van Gesondheid, is onder groot druk om bekostigbare gesondheidsdienste te
lewer. Die VSA en farmaseutiese firmas domineer onderhandelinge vir 'n nuwe struktuur
vir die internasionale eiendomsregte-regime. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n analitiese
raamwerk wat sistemiese, interne belange, institusionele, en ideologies perspektiewe
inkorporeer, word daar geargumenteer dat Suid-Afrika se pogings om 'n meer
distributiewe intellektuele eiendomsregte regime te verseker, die probleem van gesondheid, Vigs, en generiese medisyne binnne die sfeer van die politieke ekonomie van
handelsooreenkomste, plaas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53144 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Bester, Juan |
| Contributors | Leysens, A. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 63 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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