WHO Expert Group Sifts Ideas For A New Global Drug R&D Mechanism 05/07/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A diverse team of global experts on public health research and development will meet this week behind closed doors to analyse proposals for ways to fund R&D on diseases afflicting poor populations – and for who should coordinate such global efforts.
WIPO Panel Weighs Role Of Internet Intermediaries In Online Copyright Infringement 01/07/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The role and responsibility of internet intermediaries in the protection of copyright is under debate in several policy fora and often brings up issues such as privacy, access to knowledge, and freedom of expression. A panel was organised last week at the World Intellectual Property Organization to explore the viewpoints of several but not all stakeholders on this issue.
WIPO Seminar: IP Is Spearhead Of Agricultural Innovation, Solution To Food Shortage 28/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization recently stepped into the agriculture field with its first seminar on the use of intellectual property to increase productivity. In the seminar, proponents of IP rights defended the value of protection and the necessity of relying on technology to answer the needs of an inflated world population.
Special Report: A Quick Summary Of The New US Supreme Court Decisions On Patents 24/06/2011 by Steven Seidenberg for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For the past ten years, the United States Supreme Court has steadily chipped away at patent rights. But this term, the court abruptly reversed direction. In two weeks, the high court issued rulings in three patent cases, and in every one upheld the legal rights of inventors. It is unclear, however, how big a win this really was for patent rights.
US Patent Reform Advances Furthest In Congress In 10 Years 24/06/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The US House of Representatives this evening passed HR 1249 – the closest action patent reform has come to being enacted into law in the past 10 years. But there were some changes made to the bill.
Patent Reform Debate: Live Updates From The US House Of Representatives 22/06/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual Property Watch is providing play-by-play action from today’s floor debate of HR 1249, the bill to reform US patent law which is facing a fight. For IP-Watch Subscribers.
UNITAID Executive Secretary To Step Down 22/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The head of Geneva-based UNITAID, an innovative drug purchasing system for the global poor, will leave the post this month.
‘Long Overdue’ US Patent Reform Deal Reached; House Could Vote This Week 22/06/2011 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment US lawmakers this evening agreed to a manager’s amendment to the pending patent reform bill. The legislation could come to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote as soon as tomorrow (22 June). The Senate version, S. 23, was passed in March.
Copyright Vital For Authors, Adaptable For Wide Access, WIPO Panellists Say 17/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Copyright is necessary to allow authors to live from their trade and to guarantee their independence, and exceptions should be decided by authors and publishers, according to panellists on a copyright dialogue held at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week.
Plain Packaging For Tobacco Raises IPR Questions At WTO 16/06/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments At the last session of the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council, the Dominican Republic challenged an Australian draft law requiring plain packaging for tobacco products as being incompatible with its WTO obligations, eclipsing other agenda items. The TRIPS Council also addressed other regular agenda items such as related to biodiversity and public health, according to sources.