WIPO Faces Possible Negative Annual Income Despite Record Trademark Filings 10/03/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization is facing the possibility of negative income for the first time in its history, the United Nations agency’s director general said Monday. Director General Francis Gurry made the remarks during a press conference on its annual report on trademark filings at WIPO in 2008 that showed a new record high for trademark registrations but signs of a slowdown late in the year.
Administrative Patent Validity Determinations If The Proposed US Patent Reform Act Of 2009 Passes 09/03/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On 3 March, 2009, bills were introduced in the US Congress setting forth the proposed “Patent Reform Act of 2009”. The legislation proposes significant changes to post-issuance proceedings available to challenge patents in the United States. US attorneys Matthew A. Smith, Stephen B. Maebius and Jon W. Dudas argue the proposed legislation will be a step toward improving patent quality.
European Generic Industry Concern Over Potential Barrier To Legitimate Medicines 09/03/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A letter to the European Commissioner from the European Generic Medicines Association expresses concern about the detention of medicines in the Netherlands while en route from India to Brazil. While counterfeit medicines deserve “criminal and civil sanctions” as well as seizures, the letter says, “alleged patent infringement cannot be confused with counterfeit and public health […]
WTO Session Tackles Details Of Future Register Of GI Products 06/03/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A World Trade Organization group tasked with creating a register for highly protected names of wines and spirits associated with geographical locations buckled down Thursday to a technical discussion on what it would look like. The focus on these issues sidestepped some broader political questions that have delayed these talks, but fundamental disagreements also remain over the register’s parameters.
Alarm Escalates Over Delayed Generic Drug Shipments As Action Sought 06/03/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Health advocates on Friday escalated their alarm over recent seizures by the Dutch government of shipments of legitimate generic pharmaceuticals passing through Europe on their way to developing countries. The European Commission has defended its actions as permissible under its own and international rules, but is being asked to look more carefully at those rules.
WHO Launches Online Hearing On Innovative Funding Sources For R&D 06/03/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization is soliciting new ideas for funding sources to stimulate research and development on diseases predominantly afflicting developing countries, with some in developed countries. The web-based public hearing, being held online from 7 March to 15 April, will contribute to an intergovernmental mandate to come up with ways to address the shortage of research in this areas.
Concerns Continue Over Generic Drug Seizures As Legality Debates Begin 05/03/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments Developing nations led by Brazil and India, along with public health providers and advocates, this week continue to press strong concern over seizures of legitimate shipments of generic pharmaceuticals destined for poor patients in the developing world. Raising the issue at the World Trade Organization again, they say new research into numerous shipments of legitimate drugs delayed by authorities in the Netherlands have elevated doubts and may mean potentially thousands of patients put at risk.
US Patent Reform Bills And Jobs: Critical Timing, Critical Differences 04/03/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States patent reform bills offered up Tuesday fall well short of what is needed to protect innovation and intellectual property rights, say myriad small tech companies, large-cap manufacturers, pharmaceutical firms and inventors. In fact, they say, it even threatens jobs at a time when the economy is in desperate need of them. But proponents argue that it is precisely the type of measure needed to promote jobs, reduce lawsuits and poor patent quality that put a drag on innovation and the economy.
US 2009 Trade Agenda Released 03/03/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US President Barack Obama’s trade policy for 2009 is now available, and is available from the US Trade Representative website.
GI Label Yet To Benefit Indian Farmers 03/03/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Kerala province of India earned two geographic indications, or product names associated with a particular place and characteristics, on rice varieties in November 2007. But, more than a year later, the farmers who grow those strains still have yet to see any economic benefit, says LiveMint, a Wall Street Journal blog. Interviews with farmers […]