Title: Morality and biotechnology patent laws

Authors: Joanne Yong

Addresses: University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract: Patent law reform should be done through an ethical dimension. Biotechnology patent laws are in a state of crisis because they are lacking in an adequate moral underpinning. The utilitarian nature of law in general prevents it from being a strong moral advocate. It is thus necessary to look beyond law reform per se to resolve the patent law crisis. Introducing corporate social responsibility into the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries may resolve some of the problems that biotech patent laws are facing.

Keywords: patents; biotechnology; corporate responsibility; law reform; morality; ethics; ethical; utilitarianism; corporate social responsibility; CSR; pharmaceutical industry; biotech; private law; patent laws.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPL.2010.029607

International Journal of Private Law, 2010 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.148 - 162

Published online: 30 Nov 2009 *

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