Dominican Republic Prepares To Launch Patent Database 11/09/2013 by Luis Gil Abinader for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The National Industrial Property Office of the Dominican Republic (ONAPI) is working on a database that would make information about patent applications filed in the country readily available. Currently, obtaining such information can be costly and complicated.
WHO Now Charging Fees For Drug Prequalification, Raising Access Fears 10/09/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization, the United Nations health agency in persistent financial straits, has announced it must begin charging a fee to manufacturers seeking prequalification of their vaccines and diagnostics. The announcement stirred concern among public health advocates that it might have a negative effect for procurement and access to life-saving medicines.
WIPO Members Discuss Budget, Projects, Finance, Human Resources This Week 10/09/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization member states are expected to take a set of decisions this week on the future budget of the organisation, and have to bridge a number of differences on programmes before the General Assembly taking place later this month.
New Draft South African IP Policy Receives Initial Positive Reactions 09/09/2013 by Linda Daniels for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments The civil society collective formed to pressure the South African government to reform its patent act has cautiously welcomed the release of the country’s draft intellectual property policy.
COHRED Publishes Guidance For Negotiating Fair Research Contracts, Including IPRs 06/09/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Geneva-based Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) recently published a “guidance resource for the negotiation of fair research contracts in collaborative research partnerships.” The guide includes several basic considerations on intellectual property rights for contract negotiators.
Book Details Transition From Poor Protection For Foreign Works In 19th Century US 04/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new book by a United States law professor offers an intricate look at the historical relationship between literacy, copyrights and the public domain in the US.
WIPO Forum Presents Four “Game-Changers” In Innovation 03/09/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization later this month will hold a forum on innovation featuring four “world-renowned pioneers from the fields of medicine, architecture and industrial design,” as a way to bring common insights to intellectual property policymakers and stakeholders working to achieve a “balanced, inclusive” IP system.
WIPO To Hold Teach-In On Value Of IP System To Indigenous Peoples 28/08/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization has scheduled a workshop in December to teach indigenous peoples the value of the intellectual property system in protecting their knowledge and resources.
What Does WTO Extension For LDCs To Enforce IP Mean For Pharmaceuticals? 02/08/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The recent extension granted by World Trade Organization members to least developed countries giving 8 more years to implement international intellectual property protection rules threw a shroud of confusion over a parallel WTO waiver for pharmaceutical products conferred on least developed countries until 2016. In an attempt to shed some light on the issue, several experts were asked for their reflections on the consequences of the new extension.
Infojustice: The Question Of Patent Eligible Subject Matter And Evergreening Practices 31/07/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Infojustice writes: Over the past few years, patent-eligible subject matter has become one of the hotly debated areas of patent law in several countries. Even in the United States, the Supreme Court is beginning to express concerns about overly inclusive patent rules that stifle both competition and follow-on innovation. However, significant confusion persists over the difference between patent eligible subject matter and patentability requirements. Patent eligibility tests have proven quite difficult to apply, often leading to inconsistent and unpredictable results.