Industry Urges UK, EU, To Safeguard Medicines Regulation During Post-Brexit Transition 28/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Associations representing the life sciences industry in the United Kingdom and Europe today issued a call for cooperation on regulation between the UK and European Union on medicines regulation.
TWN – Proposed WHO Criteria On Medicines In Transit Open Door For Seizures 28/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Geneva, 21 Nov (TWN) – A discussion document prepared by the Secretariat of the World Health Organization (WHO) proposes criteria to justify interventions with respect to medicines in transit. This document is prepared for the 6th meeting of the Member State Mechanism (MSM) to be held from 28 November to 1 December at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, writes Third World Network.
Access To Affordable Healthcare: A Global Wake-Up Call Fosters Coalition Of The Like-Minded 27/11/2017 by Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW DELHI — Few topics in the global health agenda are as contentious as access to affordable medicines and medical care, and expectedly, divergent views permeated the discussions at a high-level conference in New Delhi, India last week. But if there is one thing that the three-day meet made amply clear, it was this: access to affordable healthcare has emerged as a global problem, and an emerging coalition of the like-minded, cutting across the developed and developing countries, is determined to have their voices heard in international policy circles on the issue.
Medicines Excitement In The Netherlands – New Health Minister Announces Firm Action On “Absurd” Medicines Pricing And Gets The European Medicines Agency 27/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The new Minister of Health of the Netherlands, Bruno Bruins, came in guns blazing when he put the pharmaceutical industry on notice and announced on 22 November to “change the rules of the game” to tackle, what he called “absurd” medicines pricing, writes Ellen ‘t Hoen.
‘The WHO Does Not Have A Board’: New WHO Director Pushes To Make Agency More Efficient 24/11/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Tedros) admonished member states at the close of this week’s special session of the WHO Executive Board charged with examining the agency’s draft work programme for 2019-2023. A trust deficit among member states leads to the multiplication of national statements, impeding efficiency, he said. Meanwhile, a number of countries called for affordable and accessible medicines, and help to manufacture generic medicines locally, while the United States pushed the role of the private sector.
WHO Members Delve Into Draft 5-Year Work Programme, Question Finance, Focus 22/11/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Health Organization member states’ first reactions to the secretariat-proposed draft work programme for the next five years were mixed this morning. Although many praised the effort and the vision of the programme of work, in particular its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a number of countries found the programme ambitious without the needed financial backing, and sometimes straying from the core function of the organisation.
WHO Draft Work Program To Be Presented, Discussed 21/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization is presenting its draft work program for 2019-2023 for consideration by member states this week.
Brexit Drives European Medicines Agency To The Netherlands, Move By March 2019 21/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As a consequence of the decision of the United Kingdom to go its separate way, the remaining European Union member states decided yesterday that the European Medicines Agency should move to Amsterdam by the end of March 2019.
US NAFTA Negotiating Objectives For IP? Go Big On Digital IP Protection, Fend Off GIs 20/11/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a set of negotiating objectives for renegotiating the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that include its hopes for elevating intellectual property in the trade deal. Included in the list: force Canada and Mexico to ratify international treaties, accept US law on IP protection and create conditions for “strong” IP enforcement especially online, and ensure ample protection for products with generic names. Perhaps oddly, there is only one mention of trade, which includes respect for a 2001 text at the World Trade Organization on IP and public health.
‘Damaging’ Provisions On IP Dropped From TPP Agreement, MSF Says 15/11/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Trade ministers negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the United States have dropped many problematic provisions related to intellectual property and health, Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) reported today. Also removed from the agreement appears to be the investor-state dispute settlement provisions, according to a source.
