WHO’s Access Roadmap And The Art Of Accommodation Of Pharma Interest 26/01/2019 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Roadmap to access to medicines, vaccines and other health products (Roadmap) to be discussed at this week’s 144th session of WHO’s Executive Board accommodates vital interest of pharmaceutical TNCs on critical issues such as the approach to access, technical assistance on the use of TRIPS flexibilities and access to biosimilars. Adoption of the Roadmap in its current form very well accommodates the interest of the Pharmaceutical TNCs and therefore one need not expect any proactive steps by WHO towards promoting access after the adoption of the Roadmap.
US Complaints About Technology Transfer In China: Negotiating The Endgame 24/01/2019 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Dean Pinkert writes: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has been open about its view of the difficulties faced by US companies who claim – generally anonymously – that they have been forced to transfer technology to Chinese entities: “The fact that China systematically implements its technology transfer regime in informal and indirect ways makes it ‘just as effective [as written requirements], but almost impossible to prosecute.’” As I explain in this article, I believe such informality is not merely a barrier to prosecutions; it also presents conceptual challenges for US trade negotiators as they attempt to craft effective means to address the concerns of US companies doing business in China.
US IP Law – Big Developments On The Horizon In 2019 23/01/2019 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The US started 2019 with a bang. Its Supreme Court has just announced a major patent decision, and more big developments could arrive in the coming months. Here are some of the top issues to watch this year.
Special Report: Guide To This Week’s WHO Board Meeting – Budget, Medicines Access, Antimicrobial Resistance, NCDs, More 18/01/2019 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization Executive Board this month will consider an 8 percent WHO budget increase for 2020-2021, discuss environment health risks, the high price of cancer drugs, and how to facilitate access to medicines and vaccines. Also on the agenda is the fight against antimicrobial resistance, rising noncommunicable diseases, and tuberculosis. In another area, the Board is also expected to discuss its pandemic influenza framework, in particular access to influenza viruses under the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Board will further be asked to consider new entities seeking to enter into official relationships with the WHO, and those with whom relations should be discontinued.
Sudden Vacancies At Some International Agencies, Industry Sees New Top Officials, Lawyers Engage In Firm-Hopping 17/01/2019 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment While the World Bank Group and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are looking for new leaders following the unexpected resignations of their heads, the International Telecommunication Union re-elected its secretary general. The European Patent Office got two new vice-chairs, and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) a new president, both starting in January. Associations for the creative industry and the pharmaceutical industry also elected new top officials, and lawyers continued to practice firm-hopping.
Supporting UHC And Better Explaining IP – The 2019 Pharma Industry Agenda 16/01/2019 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In 2019, IFPMA work will continue to focus on constructive engagement in supporting UHC and working with others to strengthen health care systems. The association will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders, particularly multilateral organizations, to better explain the benefits of IP and exchange ideas to address issues of coverage, capacity, affordability and sustainability of healthcare.
Time To Put A Stop To The Abuse Of Orphan Drug Regulation- The Latest Scandal 10/01/2019 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Ellen ‘t Hoen writes: Today, the Dutch Medical Journal (Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde) reported on the case of lutetium-octreotaat, a cancer drug developed by researchers in the Dutch Erasmus medical centre in Rotterdam. For the last 18 years, the hospital pharmacy made the medicine to treat their patients, keeping prices relatively low. But now the drug is being marketed by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, and its price has skyrocketed to Euro 23,000 an infusion from an original price of Euro 4,000 an infusion.
What’s The Cost Of Allowing Patent Theft? Don’t Wait To Find Out 09/01/2019 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Russ Genet writes: Protecting patents can be expensive, especially for companies competing in a global arena where aggressive startups, cut-rate competitors and industrial giants are all vying for the next big innovation to snatch up or move to market. However, failing to protect patents can be equally expensive. It is estimated that patent theft costs the US economy billions each year. And for the corporate patent owner, failing to defend patent rights today can significantly limit their value in the future.
EIFL Looks Forward To An Exciting 2019 At WIPO 20/12/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Teresa Hackett, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager, attended the 37th meeting of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), the global body that sets international copyright law and policy, that took place in Geneva from 26 – 30 November 2018. During a full week advocating for libraries, EIFL participated in discussions on copyright limitations and exceptions, gave presentations at two civil society organized events, and engaged with government delegates from EIFL partner countries on library issues. At the last SCCR of 2018, the main focus for libraries was on activities in the WIPO action plan 2018-2019; civil society presented ideas for the upcoming regional seminars on limitations and exceptions, as well as views on how to fix the draft broadcast treaty.
Do Patent Trolls Exist? Two Studies Reach Different Conclusions (Part 2) 18/12/2018 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Two recent academic papers examine whether Non-Practicing Entities (NPEs) deserve their reputation as patent trolls – but the papers reach conflicting conclusions. As discussed in the first part of this article, a paper published by Stanford’s Hoover Institution found that 26 publicly-listed NPEs invest in R&D and do little harm to America’s high tech sector. These findings, however, are less significant than they appear. Another paper, published by Harvard Business School (HBS), found that NPEs do on average behave as patent trolls. How important – and trustworthy – are the HBS findings?