Crossroad of intellectual property rights of technology innovators and human rights: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the scholarly approach to examine the issues at the intersection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and human rights (HRs) and ways to address, to examine broad categories of approaches used by the scholars in examining this conflict, their justification and to provide concrete directions for HRs framework of intellectual property. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted systematic literature review of 94 research articles published between 1996 and 2021, focusing on cross roads between IPRs and HRs. Findings The in-depth content analysis of 94 published research papers revealed the polarization of scholarly opinion on the HRs perspective of IPRs. Originality/value Very limited efforts were made in past to synthesize and organize scholarly research on the conflict between IPRs and HRs covering the right to education, to access information, to food, etc. besides the right to health care. This study synthesized and analyzed the scholarly research on the crossroad between IPRs and HRs, revealed critical conflict areas and collated the justifications of opposing approaches to provide inputs to international organizations, policymakers and governments for the enforcement of IPRs from the perspective of HRs.