This book takes access to medicines as a case study for exploring key global policy issues in technological development and scientific innovation. The first chapters explain patterns and trends of the ratcheting up of global IP standards (chapters 2 to 4), and further chapters go on to analyze some pragmatic market-driven reforms to make IP work for the common good (chapters 5 and 6). Subsequently, the book explores the ways in which legal monopolies (read patents) relate to scientific innovation as well as to market structure and formation (chapter 7 and 8). Finally, some conclusions and proposals are put forward for recalibrating IP on essential technologies to the benefit of society at large (chapter 9).