Case 328 - Pharmaceuticals, Patents, and U.S. Trade Policy

McDonald, Michael K.

This case study examines the role of intellectual property rights in U.S. trade policymaking by analyzing the Obama administration’s handling of the May 2009 report on Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, due to Congress just four months after President Barack Obama took office. The case examines the role of intellectual property rights in trade negotiations, the impact of the 2006 midterm elections on the trade process with respect to intellectual property, and the example of Thailand’s drug licensing program. It offers a concrete look at the politics of trade policymaking, the role of intellectual property rights and the “Access to Medicines” campaign on trade politics, and the negotiating process between the administration and Congress regarding trade.