How Should Science be Used?
The ownership of science has broad-ranging implications, including for the equity of access to scientific knowledge and for the fair distribution of the benefits and the burdens of science and innovation.
Our research intends to achieve an expert consensus on the issues, the problems and dangers, the opportunities and hopefully some of the solutions which will enable science and innovation to flourish in ways compatible with human progress (perhaps even survival) and global justice. In particular, we will consider the effects of the current model of innovation and commercialisation of science on communities in developing nations and on disadvantaged and vulnerable groups locally and globally.
At a fundamental level, we will consider what types of research (basic and applied) should be undertaken. For example, what place do ‘luxury’ enhancement and reproductive technologies have when there is a global need for very basic healthcare? Looking at the management of innovation processes, we will examine how exclusive licensing can prevent disadvantaged countries from accessing technology and what effects the rise of generics companies has in the developing world.