Access To Safe Medicine A Public Health Issue, Not IP, Says Panel 04/10/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Anti-counterfeiting initiatives might have a negative impact on access to medicines while not addressing the problem of fake medicines, particularly in developing countries, according to panellists at a recent event organised by the Open Society Institute.
“Turning Point” At WIPO Pulls Traditional Knowledge Debate Out At Eleventh Hour 03/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments After a year of stalled deliberations on the issue of protecting traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and traditional cultural expressions, delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies on Thursday found a compromise text that gives the committee its strongest mandate yet.
WIPO Approves CHF64 Million Conference Hall; Intensive Informals Held On Traditional Knowledge 25/09/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment How to handle the deadlocked negotiations on traditional knowledge remains a sticky decision at this year’s World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies, with four proposals on the table and informal meetings ongoing in advance of a formal discussion next week. Meanwhile, WIPO member governments this week agreed to fund a CHF64.2 million franc WIPO conference centre aimed for late 2012.
UN Conference Pushes Plant Breeding; Others See Food Security In Jeopardy 23/09/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments Participants at a recent United Nations conference on the role of new plant varieties and seeds in agriculture agreed that access to genetic resources and the protection of intellectual property rights are essential to sustain plant breeding. But key opponents not invited to the meeting claim that plant breeding will endanger biodiversity, sustainability and ultimately food security.
Panel: IP Offices Must Be Engaged To Implement Development Agenda 23/09/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization will need the help of national intellectual property offices – and need to listen to their needs as well – if Development Agenda implementation is to be effective outside of Geneva, participants on a panel said last week.
UN Climate Report Envisions Modified TRIPS As Governments Seek Progress 01/09/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Scientists and bureaucrats meeting this week on climate change and weather data are struggling to move global discussion past general declarations of recognition and commitment to address environmental change. One bump under the rug at the United Nations conference is rights over environmental technologies, and a new UN report released Tuesday calls for investment and a focus on flexibilities in and possible changes to intellectual property rights rules to help developing countries access information and technologies.
Members Of Human Rights Expert Committee At UN Question Patents On Food 07/08/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments A group of experts working as a think-tank for the United Nations Human Rights Council raised the issue of patents and food at a meeting this week. Meanwhile, a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food expected to be available at the end of August will focus on the intersection between intellectual property and the human right to food.
ECOSOC Wraps Up With Discussion Of Environmental Governance Framework 04/08/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The influential United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ended its 2009 substantive session on 31 July, after a month-long coordinating body meeting in Geneva which yielded resolutions on several topics such as public health, science and technology, human rights, environment and sustainable development issues.
ECOSOC Adopts Resolutions On Digital Divide, HIV/AIDS, But Hurdles Remain 29/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this week is concluding a month-long coordinating body meeting in Geneva by adopting resolutions on a range of public policy issues such as internet connectivity, science and technology, and HIV/AIDS.
Academics Debate How To Release ‘Revolutionary’ Power Of Development Agenda 28/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Development Agenda at the World Intellectual Property Organization is a “potentially revolutionary” agreement, according to a book released this month, but whether it will fulfil that promise depends on its implementation into concrete practice, said a panel of academics at the book’s launch.