Indigenous Peoples At WIPO Call For Respect Of Their Sovereign Rights, Prevention Of Cultural Genocide 02/03/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A panel of indigenous peoples speaking at the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization on a potential treaty protecting their folklore from misappropriation asked that indigenous culture be recognised as unique, and not unduly considered as belonging to the whole of mankind. The keynote speaker chastised the United States position in the committee, criticised a US recent document equating the cultural significance of Santa Claus, pizza and sand paintings, and called for the respect of indigenous peoples’ sovereign rights over their cultural expressions.
Unauthorised Streaming Of TV Broadcasts Breaches Copyright, EU High Court Rules 02/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Internet television broadcasting service TVCatchup (TVC) may not offer live streams of free-to-air TV broadcasts without permission, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said in a 1 March judgment.
USTR Issues 2017 Trade Policy Review, Listing IPR Priorities 01/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments The Office of the United States Trade Representative today released its 2017 trade policy agenda. The report includes numerous references to intellectual property rights, mainly focused on enforcement, plans for multilateral discussions on IPR and trade, and promises of an aggressive stance on geographical indications. But overall it is short on overall details about what’s to come with the new administration.
What Is Fair Pricing For Medicines? WHO-Netherlands Forum Aims To Find Out 01/03/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Public health stakeholders – and just about everyone else – may take notice of a meeting planned for May in the Netherlands, as it could offer the beginning of a new approach to pharmaceutical costs. High drug prices have become a ‘kitchen table’ issue in countries of all economic sizes recently, and the World Health Organization is teaming up with the Dutch government to address it in a new and practical way.
A Look At Latest Figures On R&D For Neglected Diseases 01/03/2017 by Kim Treanor for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Financing for research and development into so-called neglected diseases – those predominantly affecting lower-income populations – rose recently mainly due to the Ebola outbreak, and private sector contributions represent a bigger share, according to the latest available data from a Gates Foundation-supported database.
Rare Diseases: Pharma Industry Calls For Collaboration, Political Commitment For Research 01/03/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Big Pharma wants to develop treatments for rare diseases, with government support. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) this week launched a new report describing policy priorities to increase research and development into rare diseases.