India Overturns Patent On AIDS Patient Drug 05/05/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Chennai Patent Office in India last week overturned the patent on Valganciclovir, an expensive drug used to prevent an infection to which people with HIV/AIDS or organ recipients are susceptible, an Indian lawyers’ group said today. The patent office decided that the patent held by Swiss company Roche lacked inventive step and did not […]
New WIPO Development Agenda Group Seeks Transformation Of UN Agency 26/04/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments Ongoing efforts to implement the 2007 Development Agenda at the World Intellectual Property Organization took another twist today as a new group was launched representing developing countries seeking full transformation of the United Nations body toward a development-oriented perspective on intellectual property issues.
New WHO Faces On IP, Innovation; Matsoso Named South Africa Health Director 23/04/2010 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization’s team on issues of intellectual property and innovation in public health is seeing changes in key personnel, as implementation of the UN health agency’s plan on IP and innovation hits its stride. Malebona Precious Matsoso has been named Director General of Health for South Africa.
Geneva Health Forum Addresses Biotech, Trade, Pandemic Flu 21/04/2010 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Biotechnology, international trade, and pandemic influenza were among the topics discussed at the outset of this year’s Geneva Health Forum.
WIPO Sees Decrease In Cybersquatting Complaints, Warns Of Domain Name Expansion 23/03/2010 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The expansion of internet domain names as proposed is worrying to trademark owners as a significant number cybersquatting cases continue to be filed in the World Intellectual Property Organization dispute resolution system, WIPO said this week. Meanwhile internet intermediaries should play a bigger role in the fight against trademark infringement, WIPO officials said.
New US Broadband Internet Plan Scrutinised; Cybersecurity Bill Includes IP 17/03/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New Leave a Comment The United States Federal Communications Commission’s newly released plan to expand broadband internet access within the country was well-received from several sides of the digital rights debate, with some questions. Separately, a new cybersecurity bill introduced in the US Congress today includes measures to protect intellectual property rights.
UK IP Minister Lammy Backs EU Release Of ACTA Text 17/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment David Lammy, United Kingdom Minister for Intellectual Property, today said the UK supports the European Union’s position that the text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) should be made public. “The UK has long been in favour of greater transparency in the ACTA negotiations, so I am very pleased that EU has now agreed that […]
AIDS Patients Protest EU-India Trade Agreement 12/03/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Patients with HIV/AIDS today protested in New Delhi against negotiations for a European Union-India free trade agreement that they say will restrict access to cheaper versions of critical medicines in developing countries. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors without Borders) said in a statement that India is the source of more than 90 percent of […]
New US Senate Patent Reform Bill Brings Many Reactions 11/03/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Reactions have emerged since last week’s release by United States Senate Judiciary Committee bipartisan leaders of details of compromise legislation to reform of US patent laws. Most are generally positive, signalling that a long-sought compromise might be near, but strong reservations remain among some stakeholders.
European Parliament Votes To Rein In Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty 10/03/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The European Parliament today voted overwhelmingly in favour of a demand to be kept fully informed about the secretive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement under negotiation by the European Commission and about a dozen countries outside Europe. Parliament also opposed controversial provisions such as personal searches at European borders and cutting internet access for anyone found infringing copyright online three times.