MPAA On Broadband, Net Neutrality: Regulation Good, Not Good 04/11/2009 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) this week urged the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) “to make the protection of creative content online a core and guiding principle” of its new National Broadband Plan. But its view suggests it would support stronger regulation over the internet, an approach it has strongly opposed in other areas.
WIPO Power Struggle Looms Over Development Agenda Coordination 04/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A struggle over the power and reach of the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda may be looming as members of the UN agency begin to take control of implementation with differing views. Key developing countries say members must not only focus on specific projects but also on the broader agenda for change at WIPO. Developed countries want simple coordination with other committees without the heavy hand of fundamental change.
US Court Opens Door To Challenges Of Gene Patenting 03/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment US federal district court ruled yesterday that patents on human genes can be challenged in court. This unlocks a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT). The lawsuit was filed against the patenting of two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer. The lawsuit targeted the […]
UNCITRAL Negotiating IP Finance Draft Text This Week 02/11/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group VI [security interests] is meeting in Vienna this week to work on the draft annex to the Legislative Guide on Secured Transactions, which focuses on intellectual property rights.
Canada Finds Patents No Help For Poorest In Need Of Medicine 02/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments [Editor’s Note on 3 November: the report appears to be restricted access] Canada’s National Bureau of Economic Research today released a report on the relationship between patent protection for pharmaceuticals and investment in development of new drugs since the negotiation of the 1994 World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). […]
ICANN Gives Green Light To .中国, .рф, .إمارات , But No Timeline For New Top-Level Domains 01/11/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments The board of directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) this week opened up the root zone for non-Latin country-code top level domains (internationalised or IDN ccTLDs). Starting 16 November, ICANN will accept applications for ccTLDs in Chinese, Cyrillic, Japanese, Korean or Arabic characters. In addition to the Chinese ccTLD .cn there will be .中国, in addition to the Russian .ru there will be .рф, and in addition to the United Arab Emirates’ .ae, .إمارات will be possible. ICANN leadership qualified the step as historic, but also said it was only a first step.
Medicines Access Again Captures Attention At WTO As Progress Urged In Round 30/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Access to medicine and preservation of biodiversity topped the agenda at the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Council meeting this week, as a new alleged drug seizure in France, a concern over a largely-unused amendment to TRIPS intended to help developing countries gain access to medicine, and a renewed mandate on biodiversity at the World Intellectual Property Organization influenced the issues on the table.
Bilski Impact On Biotech Seen As Minimal; Experts See Court Shift 29/10/2009 by Sharon McLoone for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The intellectual property community is anxiously awaiting the United States Supreme Court’s reaction next month in the closely watched Bilski v. Kappos case, a legal feud over the validity of a patent covering a method of commodities trading. The outcome of the case could have broad implications for the patentability of business methods and software, which could potentially wallop the technology industry. It likely will have less impact in the biotechnology arena, experts said at the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s Intellectual Property Counsels Committee conference in Washington on Tuesday.
Changing Winds For Gene Patenting In the US? Stakeholders React To Draft Report 29/10/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A United States health department advisory group this month produced a new draft report on gene patenting and licensing with recommendations suggesting that excessive patenting can limit patients’ access to gene testing and might not foster genetic research. The recommendations were supported by a variety of health professionals but put the biotechnology industry on edge.
Betty King Nominated To Be Next US Ambassador In Geneva 23/10/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Betty Eileen King of New York has been nominated next United States permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, an ambassador-level posting, the US Mission announced. The nomination has been sent to the US Senate for confirmation. This would not be King’s first ambassador-level posting. She was nominated to represent […]