WHO Calls For Proposals To Finance R&D For Diseases Affecting Developing World 02/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A call for proposals was launched today by the World Health Organization expert group in charge of making recommendations on ways to encourage and finance research and development for diseases that mostly affect developing countries.
WIPO Delegates Meet On IP And Development Implementation 29/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property has often been considered by developing countries as a hindrance to development rather than a driving force. Next week, delegates to the World Intellectual Property Organization will discuss the implementation of the organisation’s commitment to take development considerations more substantially into its work. In particular, delegates are expected to try to agree on the coordination mechanism of the committee responsible for the effort.
WHO: Chronic Diseases Can Be Reduced 27/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization has launched today in Moscow its first Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs).
Plant Breeder’s Rights – A Blessing Or A Curse? 20/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Niels Louwaars of the Centre for Genetic Resources, Wageningen University, The Netherlands, discusses the importance of plant breeder’s rights. He makes the case for a carefully balanced protection for plant breeders and changes to patents in agriculture, in order to ensure a competitive, diversified supply of plant varieties and seeds.
WHO Group Strikes Landmark Deal On Global Framework For Flu Pandemics 18/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments After a week of discussions, a good part of which centred around intellectual property issues, World Health Organization members agreed to a framework aimed at better addressing future influenza pandemics and facilitating vaccines access for developing country populations, with industry contributions.
WHO Members Near Deal On Framework For Influenza Pandemics 15/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Health Organization members trying this week to agree on elements of a framework for helping the world address the next influenza pandemic headed into the final night of the meeting in intensive negotiations. At press time, negotiations were focused on specifics of standard agreements for the transfer of genetic materials related to flu virus strains.
Study: Patent Applications Rise On Flu Genetic Resources; Questioning WIPO Report 13/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment As a backdrop to World Health Organization members meeting this week in search of a global strategy for future influenza pandemics, the pharmaceutical industry and other actors have been developing a keen interest in patents on influenza genetic resources. A sharp and sustained increase in patent activity on those materials was pointed out by a civil society group in a new report, which it says challenges a recent report by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
WHO Experts On R&D Financing Aim To Find Solutions, With Short Timeline 08/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The search for innovative solutions to engage research and development of health products for diseases that particularly affect developing countries is the core mission of a World Health Organization working group that met this week in a special mostly open session. The group of experts will assess proposals and deliver its recommendations next year.
India, WIPO Connect On Traditional Knowledge Protection, With Or Without Patents 28/03/2011 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization went to India last week to highlight the country’s success in creating a digital library of Indian traditional knowledge, which it uses to prevent illegitimate patenting of its resources. But whether WIPO found a way to fit the Indian project into the UN agency’s mission to protect and promote intellectual property rights was unclear.
Pharma Industry Seeks To Bring A Fresh Face To Public Health Policy 23/03/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The research-based pharmaceutical industry is working to bring a fresh face to the international public health policy arena in Geneva, most recently through a new initiative on technology transfer. Working through the industry’s Geneva-based trade association, the effort to be seen in a more positive light comes after years of doubts about the transparency of its involvement in these issues and could change the tenor of international negotiations.