Governing Medical Knowledge Commons

Abstract

"This paper presents three excerpts from the edited volume, Governing Medical Knowledge Commons: Knowledge Commons and the Road to Medical Commons, The Knowledge Commons Framework and Governing Knowledge Commons: An Appraisal. These excerpts introduce the Governing Knowledge Commons framework, which is adapted from the IAD framework to account for the unique characteristics of knowledge as a resource. Most importantly, knowledge is often not only managed and shared, but also created, through cumulative social processes. Moreover, knowledge ordinarily has multiple non-rivalrous socially beneficial uses. Because of its unique characteristics, knowledge production and use may encounter a variety of social dilemmas and commons governance of knowledge often presents complex challenges. The nonrivalrous and cumulative nature of knowledge also means, however, that solutions to the challenges of knowledge commons governance are particularly valuable to society. In the medical arena, the benefits of commons governance -- and the waste imposed by private property -- are particularly apparent. The book from which these excerpts are taken presents case study analysis of various examples of medical knowledge commons governance. The concluding excerpt begins to draw lessons from those studies. The presentation will reflect upon those lessons in light of more recent studies of knowledge commons governance."