2013: India Battles For Right To Use Compulsory Licences To Make Medicines Affordable 22/01/2013 by Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment India has started the New Year on a volatile note. With general elections looming in 2014, there is turbulence and not just in the political world. In India’s pharmaceutical industry, there is sparring over the prickly issue of ‘compulsory licenses’, a mechanism by which a government allows a domestic company to manufacture and sell a generic version of a patented drug without the consent of the patent-holder, who receives compensation.
The Big Shift: A Look At Key Issues In International Copyright In 2013 17/01/2013 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Although pressure on internet service providers and other online companies to stop digital infringement isn’t likely to abate this year, the current focus on enforcement appears to be giving way to a broader debate about how to resolve long-standing copyright issues to the benefit of users and the global economy. Talks continue in the World Intellectual Property Organization and elsewhere on exceptions and limitations, as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement remains controversial.
After A Tough 2012, IP Owners In US Face An Uncertain 2013 11/01/2013 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Intellectual property owners in the United States may be happy to see the end of 2012. Among the notable setbacks they suffered last year: Congress refused to expand remedies against online infringement, the Supreme Court raised the bar for patentable inventions, and lower courts repeatedly denied injunctions against patent infringement. It is unclear, however, if IP owners will fare better in 2013.
US Supreme Court Poised To Rule Human Genes Are Not Patentable 21/12/2012 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments For decades, the United States has pioneered the patenting of human genes, and other countries have followed this lead. But the US will soon perform an abrupt about-face, most experts predict. When the US Supreme Court hands down its decision in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, the justices appear likely to rule that human genes are not patentable subject matter. And the ruling may go even farther, holding that other forms of human DNA are not patentable.
US Chamber Holds Annual IP Attaché Roundtable, Announces New “IP Index” 17/12/2012 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Washington, DC – The United States Chamber of Commerce last week held its annual roundtable with US government IP attachés stationed around the world. At the same event, it released a consultant study that rated the IP rights usage of 11 rather different countries.
Publishers Seek Support For Their Approach To WIPO Treaty 16/12/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As the World Intellectual Property Organization prepares to hold an Extraordinary General Assembly this week to decide on convening a high-level meeting to negotiate a new treaty on limitations and exceptions for blind and other visually impaired people, publishers are defending their position.
IP Rockstar Says: IP In Business Is No Longer “Dessert,” More Like “Wine” 15/12/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Bulging portfolios, lucrative licensing fees, and record patent sales, the booming business of intellectual property strengthens calls from business leaders to accelerate the harmonisation of the global patent system. Participants in a recent private-sector intellectual property conference said that redundancies in international processes “creates waste” which could be better used to invest in new business.
Waiting For Customs And Trademark Reforms, EU Rights Owners Get “Proactive” Against Fakes 13/12/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Alicante, Spain – The impact of counterfeit goods on the economy, public health, and the bottom line was a central theme during a private-sector symposium on trademarks here this week. For European rights owners, the border is where counterfeiters are at their weakest and therefore the best place to act. But as stronger legislation regarding infringement of intellectual property rights on goods in transit is unlikely for now, the private sector is seeking alternative ways to take on a growing business threat.
Single European Patent Dominates IP Summit As European Parliament Vote Nears 08/12/2012 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Brussels, Belgium – As the value of intellectual property reaches unprecedented heights, policymakers, business leaders, and legal experts discussed the need for international patent harmonisation during a two-day patent conference in Brussels last week. With the vote on the European unitary patent and common litigation system just days away from parliamentary vote, participants focussed on what the new system may mean to business.
Geographical Indications Catching Up With Appellations of Origin At WIPO 07/12/2012 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A happy mood was in order at the close of a World Intellectual Property Organization meeting on the protection of product names indicating their origin, particular qualities and reputation. Geographical indications are being considered for the same recognition and protection as appellations of origin through the revision of a current international instrument.