Medicines Patent Pool Boosts HIV Drug Prospects With First Licence 12/07/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The Medicines Patent Pool and pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences today announced a breakthrough licence agreement to allow for the production of key HIV medicines at lower cost and in an easier-to-use formulation, making them more accessible to developing countries. The agreement also opens up the use of treatments for Hepatitis B for the first time.
WIPO Ventures Into Global Debate On Climate Change 08/07/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization is continuing its push to become involved in some of the biggest policy questions of the day with an international conference on climate change next week. This follows recent efforts on public health and food security.
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.
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.
Targets, TRIPS Flexibilities In UN HIV Meeting Declaration; Brazil’s Health Minister Hails Outcome 10/06/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – The declaration from the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS, which concluded today, set targets for responding to the disease and contained clear references to flexibilities to intellectual property law intended to assure needed medicines can be obtained affordably, according to Brazil’s health minister.
WIPO Issues Call For Papers On Evaluation Of IP And Development 09/06/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 2007 World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda instituted an evaluation process at the UN agency, and now WIPO is seeking best practices for evaluating the impact of intellectual property rights on development. The WIPO Evaluation Section has issued a call for papers for a seminar to be held in October.
Pakistan: Anti-Terror Crackdown Brings IPR Relief To Mobile Phone Brands 09/06/2011 by Shahzada Irfan Ahmed for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A recent drive against the use of mobile phones without valid International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in terrorism-struck Pakistan has given respite to established brands and authorised dealers. The proliferation of copied and smuggled cell phones in the country, with little intellectual property rights enforcement, had resulted in a decrease in their sales volumes, industry representatives said. In addition, the government is moving to restore an intellectual property law that industry thinks could help its efforts.
UN Project Examines Better Access To Drugs For The Poor Through Local Production 27/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Improving access to medicines in developing countries through local pharmaceutical production is at the centre of a project involving several institutional actors working on health and trade. Technology transfer is key to local production, but some prerequisites like a favourable policy environment and the ability of developing countries to use technology transfer are essential to encourage local production, according to panellists at a recent event.
WHO Set On Reform Path With Concerns; Pandemic Plan Agreed, Counterfeits Not 24/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments After ten days of discussions, country delegates closed the annual World Health Assembly today with the adoption of a set of decisions, one of which is a drastic programme of reforms that is intended to restore the World Health Organization’s central place in public health governance.
Official: WHO Budget Cuts Not Likely To Impact Work On Innovation, IP 23/05/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Significant budget cuts being approved this week at the World Health Organization will not affect programmes related to intellectual property rights, innovation and public health, a WHO official has told Intellectual Property Watch. In fact, the WHO is intensifying its work in these areas.