WHO Draft 5-Year Plan Would Focus On Impact & Innovation, Be Discreet On Medicines Access 25/10/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After the new head of the World Health Organization provided his vision for his tenure of the global health institution this summer, the organisation is working on its next programme of work for the period 2019-2023. A preliminary concept note has been issued for public consideration. The note lays out priorities and new orientations and describes a financially sober, more efficient organisation, focused on measurable impact, set on aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and affirming its role as a multi-stakeholder platform of global governance on health, but stays clear of controversial issues, such as the affordability of medicines.
CARB-X Makes Award For First Topical Antimicrobial; Could Be Used In Emergency Settings 24/10/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CARB-X, an initiative aimed at accelerating innovation in antibacterial treatment, today announced an award to a company to accelerate development of a new bioengineered antimicrobial intended to be applied directly to affected tissues. This follows an announcement earlier this month of funding another firm to develop a new antibiotic class to treat drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.
Consultation On Future Of WHO Pandemic Flu Programme To Look At Seasonal Viruses, Genetic Information 24/10/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization mechanism to prepare the world for the next influenza pandemic is pondering its future and possible improvements. Among them are its extension to seasonal influenza, and the inclusion of genetic virus information along with biological samples to keep pace with technological developments. Member states and stakeholders (except the media) have been invited by the WHO to a consultation next month to discuss an analysis showing the potential beneficial or deleterious effects of the suggested changes to the system.
Global Fund For AIDS, TB & Malaria Narrows Director Candidates To Four 23/10/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced today it has narrowed the search to four high-level candidates, coming from backgrounds in banking, development agencies and United Nations programs.
World Health Summit: Failing Business Models In AMR And Vaccination 19/10/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BERLIN — With antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on the rise worldwide there is no time to lose for developing new antibiotic drugs, experts said during one of the last panels of this year’s World Health Summit in Berlin Tuesday. As in several other rounds during the three-day event, industry representatives underlined that there is an issue with the business model due to high risk and low return of investment for research in this area.
WHO Establishes High-Level Commission On Noncommunicable Diseases 10/10/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The UN World Health Organization today announced it has established a new high-level global commission on noncommunicable diseases, to be chaired by former WHO director general candidate Sania Nishtar of Pakistan.
Mechanism To Assess Trade Agreements Needed, UN Forum On Access To Medicines Hears 10/10/2017 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A mechanism to systematically assess trade agreements from a public health perspective, including accession agreements of the World Trade Organization and European Patent Office’s validation agreements is needed, says Ellen ´t Hoen, senior researcher at the Global Health Unit of the University Medical Centre, Groningen, The Netherlands. who publishes the Medicines Law and Policy website.
WHO Official On Antimicrobial Resistance: Poor Quality Medicines Entering At “Last Mile” To Patient 05/10/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment NEW YORK — At a recent event on the margin of the United Nations General Assembly, a senior World Health Organization official gave an update on global efforts against substandard and falsified medicines in the context of the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). And a key issue is that often after arriving safely in the capitals, something happens just before quality-assured medicines reach the patient, contributing to AMR.
Canadian Universities Not Contributing Enough To Neglected Health Needs, UAEM Report Says 03/10/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Universities Allied for Essential medicines (UAEM) evaluated 15 Canadian research-intensive universities on their contributions to biomedical research on neglected health needs, access to medicines, and education concerning access and innovation issues. The results show that for a number of those universities, this contribution is sub-optimal.
WHO Names New Leadership Team 03/10/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization today announced the new leadership team for the UN agency, with a range of geographic representation and a majority of women in the top posts.
