Trade, Investment, Innovation and their Impact on Access to Medicines An Asian Perspective

The last two decades have seen great economic change in Asia and this has impacted upon the vexed question of access to affordable healthcare and medicines in many Asian states. In this book Locknie Hsu examines the issue of access to medicines in Asia from a fresh perspective which embraces trade and investment law, innovation, intellectual property law, competition policy and public health issues. Hsu explores the key evolving legal issues in these areas, including ASEAN integration, free trade agreement negotiations (such as those for the TPP), bilateral investment agreements and significant court decisions. The book goes on to present proposals for steps to be taken in addressing access to medicines in Asia and will be useful to academic researchers, regulators, law-makers and global organizations involved in the issues surrounding access to affordable healthcare and medicines.

Foreword Sundaresh Menon; Preface and acknowledgements; 1. Economic integration, Asia and medicines; 2. Access to medicines, innovation and the debate at the multilateral level; 3. Trade, investment and medicines: the existing legal and policy construct; 4. Treaties in Asia: embedded risks and lessons from disputes elsewhere; 5. The importance of exceptions and flexibilities; 6. Innovation and competition; 7. Setting new directions: the need for innovative legal and policy solutions; 8. What next?

Locknie Hsu is Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, where she has been the recipient of five teaching awards. Previously she has worked with the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry as a legal consultant on trade issues including WTO and free trade agreement issues. She received her legal training from the National University of Singapore and Harvard University, Massachusetts, and is a member of the Singapore Bar. She is currently Chair of the Trade and Investment Group of the ASEAN Law Association, and co-rapporteur of the Committee on Sustainable Development and the Green Economy in International Trade Law, International Law Association.