Enforcement Declaration Lays Strategy For Co-operation, Legislation 17/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Lyon, France — The declaration that emerged from an international anti-piracy conference this week is a strong call for stepped-up efforts by industry and governments to bring about further protection of intellectual property rights, including greater powers for law enforcement and customs officials. The declaration, expected to be posted to the conference website, highlights strategies, […]
US Privatisation Plan For Open-Access Journal Challenged 16/11/2005 by Steve Gibb for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Steve Gibb for Intellectual Property Watch Washington, DC–A US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) plan to privatise a prestigious open-access environmental science journal is drawing criticism from Democrats in the US Congress and activists who say public funding provides key information in environmental debates. But some environmental science experts say the journal […]
Gilead Ends Patent Dispute With Roche Over Tamiflu 16/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences has ended its dispute with the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche regarding the right to the anti-influenza drug, Tamiflu (oseltamivir) “in the interest of working together to address public health needs,” Gilead announced today. Tamiflu is widely sought for use against the potential spread of avian influenza in humans. The […]
Nigeria Calls For Convention Against Counterfeit Medicines 16/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Lyon, France—Calling counterfeit medicines a “form of terrorism against public health,” a senior Nigerian health official urged a 14-15 November international conference in Lyon, France to support the adoption of an international convention to fight the problem. “I urge this conference [to adopt an] an international convention on counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals,” said Dora Akunyili, director […]
WIPO Copyright Committee To Meet After Year-Long Hiatus 16/11/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The last time the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) copyright committee met it ended in acrimony, with still-bitter memories for some member governments who argued their objections to the outcome were wrongly ignored. But after a year and numerous regional consultations, many participants are looking ahead to an agenda laden with important policy items […]
US Industry Group Seeks To Shift Geneva IP Debate 15/11/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Citing a need to change the debate on intellectual property issues, another US trade association has added Geneva to its list of lobbying stops. The Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) has expanded its presence in Europe in recent years mainly at the European Union level in Brussels. But now the group is turning its attention […]
Japan Proposes New IP Enforcement Treaty 15/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Lyon, France–Japan has proposed an international treaty to combat worldwide counterfeiting and piracy, complementing the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The proposal came at a 14-15 November conference near Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, where the TRIPS agreement was characterised by some participants as a minimal pact lacking […]
US Tech Industry Lobbyist Dodges “Wild West” Of WSIS 15/11/2005 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment To get a sense of how this week’s second UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia is different from the first WSIS held two years ago, one need only talk to a US technology industry lobbyist who this year decided to stay away. “People keep asking me what am I doing here,” […]
Consumers Misled In Tamiflu Debate, Workshop Argues 14/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Consumers worldwide are being left in the dark as to governments’ stockpiles in case of an avian influenza pandemic, and the pharmaceutical industry has been unclear about the medicine supplies available, concluded an intellectual property right panel in Geneva recently. But the industry says it has its priorities in the right place. Neither the European […]
Workshop Highlights IP Hindrances For Avian Flu Drug Stockpiles 14/11/2005 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Panelists at a Geneva workshop on intellectual property issues related to a possible avian influenza pandemic argued that IP rules and prices could make it difficult for nations to prepare sufficient stockpiles. Panelists argued that practical problems could arise with the application of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights […]