World Health Assembly Finds Way Forward On Pandemic Flu 22/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Responsibility to take forward a still in-progress framework to cope with global influenza pandemics is now in the hands of the World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan, member states agreed in a meeting Thursday. This was approved by the full World Health Assembly on Friday.
Broad Plan On IP, Innovation In Developing Countries Approved At WHO 22/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Applause broke out at the annual World Health Assembly Friday as agreement was reached at the end of a five-year process to devise a plan for boosting research and development on and access to drugs needed by developing countries. Now with the full assembly’s approval, the focus will turn to implementation and as-yet unclear ways to pay for it.
WHO Members Near Deal On IP, Innovation And Public Health, With Key Question 21/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Some five years after setting a mandate to address barriers faced by poor countries in accessing needed medicines, World Health Organization members are near agreement on a strategy and plan of action. But a key question remains on WHO involvement in a possible treaty on biomedical research and development for diseases disproportionately affecting developing nations, and the WHO secretariat is facing accusations that the process has not been amply inclusive.
UN Internet Governance Panel Urges Infrastructure, Education On Access To Knowledge 19/05/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Access to knowledge is a future challenge and a key factor for social and economic development but a balance needs to be found between the interests of rights holders and those of the public, said speakers at a high panel on access to knowledge during the World Summit on the Information Society Forum on Monday.
Pandemic Flu A Top Focus Of Health Assembly, But IP Issues Unresolved 19/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As the world looks to the World Health Assembly for a plan of action in case of pandemic, delegates are negotiating remaining parts of a framework for pandemic influenza preparedness, and an associated model agreement for the movement of virus and vaccine-related materials. A procedural agreement might come as early as Tuesday afternoon, but it remains to be seen whether agreement can be reached on how to handle uncompleted work.
WHO Members Fail To Finish Pandemic Flu Preparations 18/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A series of meetings intended to set out a global framework for dealing with a potential pandemic completed its last session Saturday night with progress made but several essential issues still uncompleted.
WHO Meeting On Pandemic Flu Reconvenes Under Pressure 15/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As cases of swine flu in humans pile up and fears that a more serious outbreak could occur in the future, member states, drug manufacturers and public health advocates gather Friday and Saturday to see if they can come up with a way to facilitate sharing of both viruses and vaccine related materials. Intellectual property laws are a key point of contention at the reconvened meeting.
French Parliament Passes Final Internet Anti-Piracy Law; Reaction Expected 13/05/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The French Senate’s vote on Wednesday sealed the adoption by the Parliament of the controversial French HADOPI law creating a graduated punishment mechanism for alleged copyright infringement on the internet.
Seven Names Said To Be Chosen For Top WIPO Posts 13/05/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Word is out among Geneva diplomats that seven officials have been informally proposed to be the next cabinet of World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis Gurry.
WIPO Patent Cooperation Committee To Proceed With Study With Constraints 12/05/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members on Friday overcame anxiety about overreaching of the UN body and agreed to study the Patent Cooperation Treaty, including proposals aimed at improving the efficiency and implementation of the treaty, taking into account some members’ concerns.