Bid To Overturn UK Plain Packaging Rules Dismissed – BBC 20/05/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment From the BBC: Uniform packaging rules for tobacco will be introduced in the United Kingdom on Friday after a legal challenge against the new law was dismissed by the High Court.
News Reports And Fair Dealing: Moneyweb v Media24 19/05/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The recent decision involving Moneyweb and Media24 (Moneyweb (Pty) Limited v Media 24 Limited & Another [2016] ZAGPJHC 81) is an important one for copyright lawyers in South Africa because it is the first time that two provisions relating to news reporting of the Copyright Act 1978 (the Act) have been judicially considered, namely, sections 12(1)(c)(i) and 12(8)(a). In fact, it is the first time that the application of the fair-dealing provision, section 12(1), has received any judicial consideration, whether in the context of news reporting or otherwise.
Washington Post- Colombia Battles World’s Biggest Drugmaker Over Cancer Drug 19/05/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [From the Washington Post] BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s government is giving pharmaceutical giant Novartis a few weeks to lower prices on a popular cancer drug or see its monopoly on production of the medicine broken and competition thrown open to generic rivals.
Amid Global Push For Tobacco Plain Packaging, IP And Health Rights Bog Down Africa 19/05/2016 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Plain packaging is considered unattractive among marketers, loss-making for industries, and a healthy life promoter for governments and the public. The potent mix to balance profits, safeguard jobs and cut illnesses has made it a controversial solution to curb smoking. As it grows in popularity around the world, how is plain packaging faring in Africa?
USITC Finds TPP Benefits US Economy, But Maybe Not Jobs; Unclear On IP Rights 19/05/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United States International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent government agency, today released an 800-page analysis of the economic impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement completed last year.
Innovation And Access: Fission Or Fusion? Interview with David Taylor, Professor of Pharmaceutical and Public Health Policy, University College London, UK 18/05/2016 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In the light of the UN High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, this series of sponsored articles challenges experts to give their views on the policies that best support the development of solutions to societies’ greatest challenges and how enabling policy environments, including IP systems, influence the development and flow of new technologies and services in different sectors, fields of technology, and jurisdictions. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors. Below is an interview with David Taylor, Professor of Pharmaceutical and Public Health Policy, University College London, UK.
Biggest World Health Assembly Ever Kicks Off Next Week With A Loaded Agenda 18/05/2016 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Next week the annual assembly of World Health Organization member states will take place with a heavy agenda and its largest attendance ever. The lack of new antibiotics to address bacterial resistance, global shortages of vaccines and medicines, the fight against substandard drugs, and a framework to guard against undue influence of outside actors on the work of the WHO are part of a picture where there is an increasing blur between developed and developing countries in terms of access to medicines. And then there is the matter of electing a new WHO director general.
WHO Seeks USD160m For Role Change To Coordinate Global Emergencies 18/05/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment At its annual Assembly next week, the World Health Organization will seek member state approval of US$160 million over two years to establish its role as a global coordinator for health emergencies. Image Credits: UN
EU Eyes Revamp Of Policy To Speed Drug Approvals In Developing Countries 17/05/2016 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Article 58, a process introduced by the European Commission to help speed up the time low and middle-income countries take to approve new drugs, could be in for a massive overhaul. A revamp has been proposed because it is underused – just a handful of products have gone through the Article 58 process since its launch in 2004. The most recent is an antiseptic chlorhexidine gel that prevents new-born umbilical cord infections in developing countries. A joint project between GSK and Save the Children, it was approved late last month.
WIPO Copyright Committee In Freewheel Mode; Conversation Continues 17/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It is difficult to understand whether the prospect of a treaty protecting rights of broadcasters is getting nearer or farther away at the World Intellectual Property Organization, as some countries are still calling for a diplomatic conference to finish the treaty, while others are saying agreement on core issues such as what and who the treaty should protect seems elusive. And the committee discussion of copyright exceptions and limitations was nourished by non-governmental entities explaining the need for those exceptions.