Text Of Kenya Judgment On Anti-Counterfeiting Now Available 23/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A copy of a key judgment by the High Court of Kenya last week that found a national anti-counterfeiting law was overly broad and might interfere with access to generic medicines is now available on Intellectual Property Watch.
Internet Visionaries Convene In Geneva To Discuss Future Of The Web 22/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 2012 Global INET Forum is uniting some of the architects and builders behind the internet with the industry leaders and policymakers who are shaping it today in an event taking place in Geneva from 22-24 April.
Frustrations Show At Slow Progress On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge at WIPO 21/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments At the close of a WIPO meeting to advance a text to become a potential treaty to protect traditional knowledge, some countries found that the results of the session were somewhat disappointing, although some progress had been achieved.
Kenyan High Court’s Overturning Of Anti-Counterfeit Law Hailed 21/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The High Court of Kenya yesterday ruled that the country’s 2008 Anti-Counterfeit Act was too broad and could interfere with the flow of legal generic medicines to patients, leading the UNAIDS organisation to issue a statement praising the decision. It also said intellectual property rights are not more important than life and health, according to UNAIDS.
The WHO’s Final Sprint Toward An International Convention On R&D 20/04/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment An international convention on research and development for neglected diseases has never been so closely within reach. A World Health Organization expert group is recommending the implementation of a legally binding instrument to secure new sources of funding to spur health research in areas where the current system has failed.
US Government Re-Issues Call For Bids To Manage Internet Root Zone 18/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Monday re-issued a request for proposals to manage the sensitive IANA contract. IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority function, includes the management of the central root zone of the internet domain name system, the allocation of internet protocol addresses to the Regional Internet Registries and other core parts of the internet infrastructure.
Divergences Clarified On Protection Of Traditional Knowledge At WIPO 18/04/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments From the outset of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting to advance a potential treaty text on the protection of traditional knowledge, discussions on draft articles of the possible treaty confirmed divergence of views, notably between developed and developing countries.
EU: Key Committee Urged To Seek Parliamentary Rejection Of ACTA 17/04/2012 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The rapporteur of the lead committee of the European Parliament on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, David Martin, today published his draft recommendation on the highly controversial agreement. If the International Trade Committee agrees on the draft, the plenary will be asked to state that it “declines to consent to conclusion of the agreement.”
Medicines Patent Pool Director Ellen ‘t Hoen To Leave Next Month 16/04/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Executive Director Ellen ‘t Hoen is departing the Medicines Patent Pool, the cutting edge UN spin-off project that works to lower prices on and stimulate new development of HIV medicines and other products through negotiating voluntary licence agreements. According to a release, ‘t Hoen has fulfilled the mission of guiding the organisation from a startup onto “firm footing” and has informed the Board that she will leave on 1 May.
Changes Coming For Open Access To Research In Europe 16/04/2012 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Pressure is growing in Europe for open, free access to research results, particularly if they are publicly funded. The European Commission (EC) said this week it will propose a plan for open access soon, while the Wellcome Trust and Research Councils UK are cracking down on researchers who don’t comply with their policies.