US Backs Keplinger For WIPO Job; Reacts To Patent Harmonisation Stalemate 13/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment [For the official biography of Michael Keplinger, please see IPW, May 5, 2006, WIPO] The United States government today confirmed it has put forward a senior Commerce Department official’s name for a top spot at the World Intellectual Property Organization. It also vowed to keep pushing for global patent system harmonisation within and outside WIPO, […]
No Progress In WTO GI Extension Talks, Next Steps Unclear 13/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Officials holding consultations at the World Trade Organization today on whether geographical indication (GI) protection for wines and spirits should be extended to other products completed a list of questions on the issue, but made no progress on bridging differences. The next steps are now unclear as the overall WTO negotiations deadline of July is […]
WIPO Patent Harmonisation Effort Stalls Until September Assembly 12/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Government negotiators addressing the global harmonisation of patent systems today could not agree on a work programme for a key World Intellectual Property Organization committee, effectively stalling debate on the issue until the end of the year. “It is not yet the time,” said Ron Marchant, chief executive and comptroller general of the United Kingdom […]
Disclosure Of Origin A Hot Topic In WIPO Patent Harmonisation Debate 11/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Nations debating whether to harmonise national patent systems have turned their focus to developing country demands to include requirements that patent filers disclose the origin of genetic material and traditional knowledge. The debate is taking place in a 10-12 April informal meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Patents […]
India Proposes Combined WIPO Meetings On Biodiversity, Patent Harmonisation 10/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment India today floated a suggestion for joint meetings of two key committees at the World Intellectual Property Organization in a move that could change the way patents are addressed. The proposal could elevate biodiversity issues of concern to developing countries to the level of patent issues critical to developed countries. India said that the issue […]
WIPO Patent Committee Cautiously Opens Talks On New Work Programme 10/04/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) cautiously opened discussion today on the future work programme of the committee responsible for harmonisation of patent laws. The issue is contentious as many WIPO developing country members have previously opposed harmonisation, though the issue continues to appear on the WIPO agenda. Patent harmonisation, under […]
Decision On International Regime On Genetic Resources Postponed Until 2010 04/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Discussions on an international regime on the sharing of benefits deriving from genetic resources at a recent United Nations conference in Brazil focused mainly on procedure, leading some sources to argue that developed countries tried to derail the process. The final deadline for a decision has been pushed back to 2010. The meeting was the […]
WHO IP Report Comprehensive, But No Calls For Major Change In IP System 03/04/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A much-anticipated World Health Organization (WHO) report by a special commission looking at the relationship between intellectual property rights and research and development into diseases disproportionately affecting developing countries, makes some 50 recommendations on how to improve the situation. The 228-page report of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH) stops […]
Patent On AIDS Drug Will Not Limit Access In India, Industry Argues 30/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment It is “misleading” and “counter-productive” to assert that a pharmaceutical company’s filing for a patent on a HIV/AIDS drug in India will limit access to the drug in the future, GlaxoSmithKline said in response to an objection submitted today in India. The comment is a response to the submission of a “pre-grant opposition” to the […]
Protest Submitted To First Patent Filing Of HIV/AIDS Drug In India 30/03/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Two Indian HIV/AIDS networks and an international group of lawyers today submitted a protest to the first application for a patent for an HIV/AIDS drug filed in India. The opportunity to stage a “pre-grant opposition” is the “beauty of the Indian patent system,” said Ellen ‘t Hoen of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in an interview. […]