WHO Executive Board Concludes After ‘Unpredecented’ Workload 30/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Assembly’s rotating Executive Board meets twice a year, and on 29 January concluded its 132nd meeting with what the WHO director general termed an “unprecedented” amount of agenda items and documents.
WTO: Antigua To Retaliate Against US By Suspending IP Rights Protection 28/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments After years of unsuccessful negotiations between nations, the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body today gave Antigua and Barbuda the right to impose sanctions against the United States for blocking online gambling. The US was found in violation of WTO rules in 2007 and has failed to resolve the issue, so the Caribbean nation was given the right to retaliate in an area that is likely to force a US response – lifting US intellectual property rights.
WHO Board Approves Resolution On Neglected Diseases; Sets Action On Substandard Medicines 28/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The World Health Organization Executive Board today approved a modified resolution on neglected tropical diseases – after removing a reference to a working group on R&D for neglected diseases as “irrelevant”. The Board also discussed and took note of a report on poor quality medical products in the supply chain, and agreed to set another meeting on the issue before the May World Health Assembly, as well as set up a separate group on behaviours that lead to this problem.
Debate Erupts At WHO Over “Consensus” On Financing R&D For The Poor 28/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments World Health Organization members on Friday held a tense discussion over legal and political aspects of a consensus reached by a small number of member states in November on implementing a plan to address the global lack of research and development for neglected diseases predominantly afflicting poor populations. The discussion may continue today, with the linkage of an agenda item on neglected tropical diseases and the report of an expert working group offering numerous ideas for addressing the problem.
WHO Plan For Pandemic Flu Proceeds With Questions 28/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Health Organization has not completed negotiations with companies on a formula for contribute toward the new WHO framework for pandemic influenza. But companies are paying to access the virus anyway. In its meeting this week, the WHO Executive Board has addressed a range of issues such as pandemic influenza, but so far it has delayed discussion on another contentious topic: substandard/counterfeit medical products.
Tech Industry Report Finds Entertainment Industry Thriving Despite Complaints 27/01/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments A US technology industry report released Friday presents data showing that the entertainment industry has grown by 50 percent in the past decade with increased consumer spending, despite continuous calls by industry for greater protection of their intellectual property rights due to economic difficulty.
Google Report Shows Steady Rise In Government Surveillance 23/01/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US internet giant Google has released a report showing a steady climb in government surveillance online, which a tech industry group called “disturbing”. The report, which covered from July through December of last year, includes more details than in the past, but does not include content takedowns, which now will be the subject of an upcoming separate report.
US Trade Representative Ron Kirk To Depart In February 23/01/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk has announced his departure from office in late February.
UNITAID Seeks Bids For ‘Freedom To Operate’ IPR Analyses For HIV Products 22/01/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment UNITAID, the drug purchasing facility affiliated with the World Health Organization, sees “great promise” in emerging diagnostic products for HIV treatment monitoring and diagnosis in remote regions. Now it is looking for someone to verify the freedom to operate of these tools, ensuring they are not intellectual property-encumbered.
US FTC Finds Sharp Rise In ‘Pay-For-Delay’ Deals Blocking Generics 18/01/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The United States Federal Trade Commission, which keeps an eye out for anticompetitive behaviour, has issued a study finding that in 2012, a record number of deals were struck between brand-name and generic drug companies to keep the lower-priced generics off the market. Such deals, which arise from patent disputes, cost American consumers billions of dollars annually while piling on the federal deficit, it said.