Better Data On Fake Drugs Needed To Fight The Scourge 30/08/2017 by Tatum Anderson for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The problem of fake medicines is a big one. But precisely how big? The problem is, when reporting numbers, news stories, reports and institutions have historically bundled the different kinds of medicines together, says an expert at the WHO.
Industry Study Looks At Economics Of Trademark-Intensive Industries In SE Asia 30/08/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A trademark industry study released today looks at the economic contribution of trademark-intensive industries in five countries in the Southeast Asian region, and finds they are making a significant contribution. The study puts a particular focus on Singapore.
Law Enforcement, Industry Hold Event Against IP Crime At UN 29/08/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – An event of international law enforcement, security experts and industry this week at the United Nations headquarters in New York aimed at building strategies against a wide range of intellectual property crime worldwide. At the event, a senior United States official discussed plans to expand a program of US IP experts abroad.
Case Study – Building Effective IP Coverage Efficiently Within An International Engineering Conglomerate 29/08/2017 by Guest contributor for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment This article describes how to build up an effective IP coverage for an international industrial conglomerate by defining the basic IP shield construction for all group companies, setting up IP generation programs and developing an IP focus while doing this efficiently by engaging the management into the IP decisions and managing the mix of internal and external IP service resources.
US Lobby Group Fights China’s Inclusion Of Generic Food Names In EU GI Deal 28/08/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment China and the European Union appear to be on track to complete a deal on geographical indications that could include protection of some 100 products each from the EU and China. Comments have been received on the proposed list and are undergoing translation. Among them, a United States lobby group said the list for China to protect unfairly includes several generic food names that should not belong solely to the EU.
Deadline Next Week For Swedish Sida Training On Genetic Resources And IP Regulation 25/08/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Applications are due by 4 September for an all-expenses-paid Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Advanced International Training Programme aimed at building capacity in intellectual property and genetic resources in support of innovation.
Did Monsanto Write Malawi’s Seed Policy? 25/08/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Tim Wise writes: In late July, a short article was published in a Malawian newspaper: “Press Release on Organization of Seed Fairs.” Issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Water Development, in conjunction with the Seed Traders Association of Malawi, the short statement advised the public that “only quality certified seed suppliers registered with Government to produce and/or market seed should be allowed to display seed at such events.” The release was signed by Bright Kumwembe for the Agriculture Ministry. I received this news in the United States as I prepared a research trip to Malawi, and I was shocked. Malawi is in the final stages of a multi-year effort to reform its seed policy and laws, and the largest point of contention at this point is the failure of the draft policy to recognize and protect so-called “farmers’ rights” to save, exchange, and sell the seeds they grow on their farms.
Malaysia Inclusion In Gilead Voluntary Licence – A Product Of Compulsory Licence Pressure 24/08/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Gilead’s announcement today that they would include four middle-income countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Belarus, Ukraine) in their sofosbuvir voluntary licence was a welcome surprise, and will enable millions access to their highly effective, but exorbitantly priced, drug. The decision to include these countries, however, no doubt is a response to increasing pressure from within these countries to either issue a compulsory licence (CL) or a government use licence (GUL), invalidate the sofosbuvir patents, or block data exclusivity for the drug.
WIPO, IFPMA Speaker Says Despite Trump Actions, He Would Be US Science Envoy 24/08/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A United States State Department science envoy quit yesterday in protest over US President Donald Trump’s pullout from the Paris climate accord and defensive comments after violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. But according to a press report, Peter Hotez, a past science adviser who has been a featured speaker of a UN agency and pharmaceutical industry group in Geneva, is stepping up to offer his services without concern for Trump’s actions.
Access To Medicines Foundation Details Methodology For 2018 AMR Benchmark 24/08/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Amsterdam-based Access to Medicines Foundation today published the methodology it will use for its 2018 framework for evaluating how pharmaceutical companies are taking action to limit antimicrobial resistance, addressing the rising the global problem of overuse of antibiotics leading to resistance with few new ones in the pipeline.