An International Law Perspective on the Protection of Human Rights in the TRIPS Agreement ─ An Interpretation of the TRIPS Agreement in Relation to the Right to Health

The World Trade Organization's agreement regarding trade-related intellectual property rights (TRIPS) is potentially in conflict with the right to health and human rights. The example given in the preface pertains to patent protection of therapeutic drugs by large pharmaceutical companies. Xiong (law, U. of South Australia) offers a systematic analysis of this dilemma, beginning with thorough discussion of the international human rights context. He uses the tools of treaty interpretation of public international law to interpret TRIPS and then concludes with examination of the various impacts of interpretation, calling for full acknowledgment of health and human rights in the WTO's dispute resolution mechanisms with regard to TRIPS. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Ping Xiong, PhD in law (2009) Victoria University of Wellington, is Lecturer at the School of Law, University of South Australia.