Intellectual property as a tool for development

Issues regarding intellectual property and development are crucial to delineate the basic features of tomorrow's society. The beginning of this century has been marked by dramatic events that have shaped the choices made in these years. New problems have come up due to cultural differences among countries and to the difficulty in sharing lifestyles in a global environment. Many of these problems have arisen from poor communication caused by a lack of appropriate communication tools. In addition, the recent consequences of stock exchange speculations have made us reflect on the real value of money and on the need for resource investments that guarantee the rights of individuals and minimize social disparities. Science and technology can play a basic role in this scenario, by contributing to increase equality among countries. In recent years, the Internet has shown how information that earlier was difficult to obtain can now be accessed easily, and also how the availability of open standards can favor scientific and technical advancement. As queries for obtaining new results are now more and more complex, the possibility of exchanging data and accessing databases quickly and easily has become increasingly important. The issue of intellectual property needs to be treated very carefully, because it is among the most significant with regard to the diffusion of scientific discoveries. Research is certainly encouraged by the financial return deriving from the legal rights that derive from a discovery. On the other hand, scientific progress is hampered if financial aspects limit the spread of the actual details of a discovery. For this reason, strategies are needed that can provide common objectives for those who make a discovery and for those who use it, thus facilitating the diffusion of science and of its humanitarian applications. In fact, scientific discoveries can derive from a variety of purposes, such as military advancement and medical progress. Access to information about medical discoveries should have no constraints, to ensure that all over the world people can actually exert their rights to health and life. A general diffusion of knowledge would not only help to save human lives, but would also clearly highlight rationale behind the choices made by each country.