Pfizer Fights IP Flexibilities In The Philippines30/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 5 CommentsThe world’s largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, is suing the Philippine government for having imported and registered – but not marketed – a product that is still under patent. At the same time, industry is said to be lobbying against a bill under consideration in the Philippines that would introduce more flexibilities into the country’s intellectual […]
WIPO Traditional Knowledge Committee Snags Over Future Work28/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentNegotiators addressing proposals for the protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions (folklore) and genetic resources ran aground over whether to address potentially legal text before completing work on objectives and principles. The committee will meet again on 4-12 December 2006, at the halfway point of its two-year mandate. Written comments on the committee activity […]
WHO Meeting Forwards IP Resolution To May World Health Assembly28/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentA committee representing the World Health Organization executive board today added more recommendations to a draft resolution based on a recent WHO intellectual property report, many of which were expressed by developing countries and Kenya in particular. Brazil also made some proposals to include language referring to flexibilities in international trade law that may be […]
Interview with Yochai Benkler, Yale Law School27/04/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentYochai Benkler is a law professor at Yale Law School. He helped host a well-attended conference on Access to Knowledge held 21-23 April at Yale. Benkler focuses on the effect of laws on flows of information and knowledge in the digital environment, and has published a new book on knowledge commons called The Wealth of […]
WHO Draft Resolution Calls For Global Plan Of Action On IP And Medicines27/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentA draft resolution from the World Health Organization based on a recent WHO report on intellectual property rights and public health calls for “a global plan of action,” particularly with regard to diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. The resolution requests three steps from the director general: First, to prepare the global plan of action […]
Interview with Graham Dutfield, Queen Mary College of the University of London27/04/2006 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentGraham Dutfield is a legal researcher at the Queen Mary College of the University of London. He is a supporter of traditional knowledge protection and a critic of the anti-development and anti-consumer orientation of current trends in intellectual property rule-making. He sat down with Intellectual Property Watch during the 24-28 April meeting on these issues […]
“Mini-EB” WHO Meeting This Week Will Discuss IP Report, Resolution26/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentIn preparation for the World Health Assembly in May, a group representing the World Health Organization (WHO) executive board will meet this week to discuss a recent WHO report on intellectual property rights and public health as well as a draft resolution based on the report developed by the WHO. “It is a kind of […]
Interns Contribute Their Expertise At IP-Watch26/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentIntellectual Property Watch was very pleased to have sponsored Martha Pigott and Nick Duston, college students from the United States, this spring on internships to carry out research, writing and outreach activities. “We were thrilled to have them working with us,” said Editor William New. “They have laid the groundwork for important work here and […]
Nations Urge Legally Binding Biodiversity Outcome At WIPO25/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 CommentBy William New and Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Developing country members of the World Intellectual Property Organization this week are demanding that a key committee on genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore be mandated to agree on a legally binding international instrument for the protection of these areas. But the demand is unlikely to be […]
April Edition of IP-Watch Monthly Reporter Available21/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a CommentNew in the April edition of the Intellectual Property Watch Monthly Reporter, now available by subscription on our website, http://www.ip-watch.org. In the People section: A Business Software Alliance executive moved over to head a top US government technology agency, an executive director was named for the copyright and patent public interest advocacy group iPAC, and […]
