India, WIPO Connect On Traditional Knowledge Protection, With Or Without Patents 28/03/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization went to India last week to highlight the country’s success in creating a digital library of Indian traditional knowledge, which it uses to prevent illegitimate patenting of its resources. But whether WIPO found a way to fit the Indian project into the UN agency’s mission to protect and promote intellectual property rights was unclear.
Yale Conference Revealed Secrets Of Online Advertising 28/03/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A conference of the Yale Law School Information Society Project held 25-26 March exposed the underlying thinking of major advertising players like Google, the Wall Street Journal and others. You may be surprised what they revealed about the use of your personal data, but then again, you may be more empowered than you thought to control your relationship to pervasive big advertising, which, it appears, is here to stay.
Pharma Industry Seeks To Bring A Fresh Face To Public Health Policy 23/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The research-based pharmaceutical industry is working to bring a fresh face to the international public health policy arena in Geneva, most recently through a new initiative on technology transfer. Working through the industry’s Geneva-based trade association, the effort to be seen in a more positive light comes after years of doubts about the transparency of its involvement in these issues and could change the tenor of international negotiations.
Cox Is New Staff Attorney At KEI 22/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Knowledge Ecology International, an influential Washington, DC-based non-governmental group working on public health and knowledge access issues, has added a new staff attorney.
Briefs Filed In Supreme Court Case On Lowering Patent Validity Test 21/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A list of briefs were filed Friday in support of maintaining the high standard in the United States for questioning the validity of patent. The decision of the Supreme Court expected in the coming months could have a major impact on patent law.
Microsoft Asserts Patents In E-Readers, Tablets 21/03/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment US software-maker Microsoft today filed lawsuits for patent infringement against bookseller Barnes & Noble and its makers of Android-based electronic book reader and tablet devices.
Tech Industry Blasts Obama Administration, Says Legitimate Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts Being ‘Hijacked’ 17/03/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Legitimate efforts in the United States to address counterfeiting problems have been “hijacked” to benefit rights holders who should protect their own interests and change their business models, the Computer & Communications Industry Association has said.
Would US Senate Patent Reform Bill Harmonise US Law With The World? 16/03/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The bill to reform United States patent law recently passed by the Senate purports to bring US law closer to laws of other major patent-filing nations. But how close would it come?
White House Issues Proposals For IP Legislation 15/03/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The Obama administration today issued a series of recommended legislative changes to further beef up domestic intellectual property rights protection, including boosting criminal punishment of pharmaceutical counterfeiters and those engaged in “economic espionage,” increasing wiretapping, making infringing online streaming a felony, and giving more powers to customs officials.
UN Agencies Encourage Use Of WTO Measures To Lower HIV Medicines Costs 15/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Three United Nations agencies have joined together to explain to their member countries the little-understood but hard-won flexibilities to applying stiff international intellectual property rules. The focus of the new policy brief is on improving access to HIV treatment, and it offers a series of actions for governments and international organisations.