WHO Names High-Profile Commission On Non-Communicable Diseases 16/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization today announced a new high-level commission of heads of state, ministers and other leaders in health and development to come up with “bold and innovative solutions” against non-communicable diseases such as heart and respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes. The chairs of the commission include the presidents of Uruguay, Sri Lanka, and Finland, the Russian health minister, and a former minister of Pakistan who was a candidate for director general of the WHO. They are joined by nearly two dozen others, including corporate public figures Michael Bloomberg and Jack Ma.
New Draft WIPO Broadcasting Treaty Text Published 16/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has circulated a new draft text on definitions in the global broadcasting copyright treaty that is under discussion at the UN agency. The draft was prepared by the chair of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), which will meet later this spring.
Copyright For Libraries Around The World In 2018 16/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Copyright laws around the world are constantly changing in an attempt to adapt – or react – to the digital world. These changes can have a major impact on how libraries function and on the public service they provide. While some reforms offer new possibilities and legal certainty, others look backwards and seek to use the law to restrict the ability of libraries to guarantee meaningful information access to their users, IFLA writes.
Interview With Peter Vanderheyden, CEO Of Article One Partners 15/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Article One Partners (AOP), the world leader in crowdsourced intellectual property research, is now into their 10th year. Intellectual Property Watch recently arranged an interview with Article One Partners CEO Peter Vanderheyden to get an update on how the company has evolved in response to the ever-changing IP landscape, and in light of their commitment to IP quality.
Indian Pharma Industry Disputes US Industry IP Index 15/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Chamber of Commerce industry group recently issued its annual global IP index, analysing intellectual property protection in 50 countries, as a prelude to the annual US government list of countries seen as not adequately protection US companies’ IP rights. Now an Indian industry group has issued a counter-statement to the Chamber index, calling it a “tirade” and “self-serving”.
EU Council Clears Way For Ratification Of Marrakesh Treaty For Visually Impaired By Summer 15/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Union Council of Ministers today adopted a decision that enables the EU to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty on access to published works for blind and visually impaired readers starting in summer. The copyright exceptions treaty negotiated at the World Intellectual Property Organization and adopted in 2013, went into effect in September 2016 but has been held up in Europe.
Over 50 Libraries, Educators, Researchers Call On EU Parliament For Better Copyright 15/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment More than 50 organisations representing a range of teachers, students, trainers, researchers, scientists, librarians and others have joined together to call on the European Parliament to improve European copyright reform for education.
CARB-X Announces First Award Of 2018; Seeks Partners For Antibacterial Research 15/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CARB-X, the private-public partnership for research on antimicrobial resistance, today announced its first award of 2018, nearly $2 million for the development of a new class of antibiotics. Meanwhile, the group has announced it is seeking to partner with accelerator organisations to build its pipeline of early development research projects. It also announced a study that called for a new global approach and greater financial incentives for antibiotic research.
Innovations For All: Swiss-Led Panel Looks At What Works, What Doesn’t 14/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The current innovation system has yielded many important innovations and extended human life, nobody disputes this. But what about the cases where it hasn’t and a problem persists? A panel of health experts organised recently by the Swiss government and including representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, the World Health Organization, academia, and a research institution held an unusually open and positive discussion that sought to get underneath the issue.
Do We Need A Global Body To Set Priorities For Diseases And Research? 14/02/2018 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent panel of health experts gathered at the hallowed Swiss Intellectual Property Institute in Bern (which counts Albert Einstein among its alumni) tackled some of the toughest questions facing global health policymakers with an eye toward actually solving them and not just restating polarised positions. One of the ideas discussed at the event was how priorities for diseases and research are handled at the global level.