WHO Board Recommends Extension Of Plan For Health Innovation, IP 03/02/2015 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization Executive Board this week recommended the extension of an important strategy and plan of action on health, IP and innovation. It also set out steps to resolve questions over evaluation and review of the strategy and plan of action before the annual World Health Assembly in May.
WHO Still Finding Its Way On Financing R&D For Diseases Affecting Poor Countries 02/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In search of sustainable innovation models for cures for diseases affecting primarily developing countries, with the Ebola epidemic as a new reminder of the necessity and urgency of the matter, the World Health Organization had tasked an expert working group with the search for solutions. Last week, the WHO Executive Board took note of the progress made so far.
IP Rights Must Remain Distinct From Fake Medicines Policy At WHO, Members Warn 30/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property issues emerged at the World Health Organization Executive Board today as members discussed fake and substandard medicines, with some countries saying that the fight against such medicines should not serve as a pretext to enforce intellectual property rights and prevent access to safe generic medicines.
Antimicrobial Resistance, Budget, Reform Raise Debate At WHO Executive Board 30/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization Executive Board this week has addressed the relationship between the UN agency and its funders and lobbyists, examined the budget for the next biennium, and looked at the issue of the growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. Image Credits: Flickr – NIAID
Gavi Receives Record-Breaking Financial Pledges For Vaccines 29/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, boasted success this week as its biennial replenishment conference attracted US$ 7.5 billion in pledges, which is the organisation said is expected to allow 300 million additional children to be vaccinated in poor countries. The vaccine industry pledged support for “strong” immunisation programmes, while public health advocates called for significant price […]
New Proposal To Extend WHO Action Plan On Innovation, IP Rights 27/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At the World Health Organization Executive Board today, a group of countries tabled a proposal to extend the WHO plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property until 2022. Yesterday, the Executive Board took note of the Global Vaccine Action Plan while some countries remarked on issues of affordability and accessibility. And today, one of the key discussions of the week – on the engagement of WHO with lobbyists, donors, and other interested non-governmental parties – has begun.
Ebola, Reform High On WHO Executive Board Agenda This Week 26/01/2015 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization Executive Board yesterday adopted a resolution on Ebola, on the eve of today’s opening of its 10-day meeting addressing a broad range of health issues, including several of relevance to the intellectual property and innovation community. Today, Italy requested that member states be involved in the setting of WHO guidelines, raising governance issues, while WHO Director General Margaret Chan called for strong health systems and reform to the WHO structure, and asked for room to move on WHO relations with industry.
Biosimilars Present Opportunity, Challenge For Developing Countries, UNCTAD Group Says 23/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Biosimilars are a hot topic. Beyond the colossal profits foreseen by some, drawing a lot of interested parties into the game, developing countries mean to play a role in this new frontier. However, biosimilars – close copies of biopharmaceutical products – are difficult and very costly to produce and come as a challenge to the generic industry used to duplicating small molecules. And some warn about differences in regulatory requirements, which could effectively boot developing countries out of the global market.
WIPO Re:Search Celebrates 3 Years, Looks To The Future 20/01/2015 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Several years ago, the World Intellectual Property Organization set up a project aimed at helping bring together those with intellectual property rights and those with ideas for research to develop medical products for people in need. The project, WIPO Re:Search, has gathered numerous partners and is beginning to look ahead to its next phases, including the possible eventuality of drug development, according to the WIPO secretariat.
WHO Executive Board To Address Reform, R&D Financing, Ebola, Budget 14/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The upcoming World Health Organization Executive Board annual January meeting will be 10 days. Included in the list of issues to be addressed are the engagement of the organisation with lobbyists and donors, antimicrobial resistance, and the potential establishment of a pooled fund of voluntary contributions for research and development for diseases primarily affecting developing countries.