WHO Report: Access, Affordability Of Medicines Key To Reducing Non-Communicable Diseases 19/01/2015 by James Cote for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new report from the World Health Organization examines the Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020 (known as the Global NCD Action Plan) and provides some “lessons learnt from implementation.” The report calls for urgent action by governments to stop the “epidemic” of cancer and mostly preventable diseases from sources like tobacco use, salt intake, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure. This includes ensuring treatment is available and affordable, it says.
Key Hepatitis C Patent Rejected In India 14/01/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments Today’s rejection by the Patent Office Controller of India of a patent application by Gilead company for a key drug against hepatitis C is being hailed by advocates as a path to dramatically lower costs of treatment for the disease. Hepatitis C has been noteworthy for exorbitantly priced medicines over the past year. A look at the decision shows that a provision in India’s law continues to stop patent applications if they fail to show sufficient novelty and inventive step – and are subject to opposition.
WHO Executive Board To Address Reform, R&D Financing, Ebola, Budget 14/01/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The upcoming World Health Organization Executive Board annual January meeting will be 10 days. Included in the list of issues to be addressed are the engagement of the organisation with lobbyists and donors, antimicrobial resistance, and the potential establishment of a pooled fund of voluntary contributions for research and development for diseases primarily affecting developing countries.
CARICOM, Trans-Pacific Partnership, And IP Law & Policy: What Next? 13/01/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The year 2015 has dawned as usual with the fanfare of greater things to come. Caribbean projects are in the pipeline, along with activities to enhance competitiveness and many gallant efforts by well- meaning non-governmental and International organizations. The research has shown, however, that without the impetus of effort that originates from amongst the local innovators, there is no real change and no great advancement.
Uganda Adopts Free And Open Source Software For E-Governance 19/12/2014 by Hillary Muheebwa for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The population in Uganda has been growing rapidly. The country now has 35 million people. In order to provide quality services to its citizens and to improve the national competitiveness through administration innovation, the government has adopted free and open source software as the preferred mode of operation for electronic government (e-government) services and platforms.
Global IP Registration Increases; China At Forefront Of IP Filings 17/12/2014 by Elena Bourtchouladze for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization this week issued its 2014 edition of the World Intellectual Property Indicators report, finding growth in intellectual property filings in China and the United States, and decline in Europe and Japan.
Annual Brussels IP Summit: Fresh Ideas In A Classic Context 16/12/2014 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – In an age where technology and globalisation play an ever-increasing role, it must be asked whether the policy goals and structures of the intellectual property system remain relevant in Europe and beyond. In this regard, the newly elected “Junker Commission,” in office from 1 November, offers a chance to issue new IP strategies and strengthen the pre-existent IP infrastructures. In light of such changes, the Pan-European Intellectual Property Summit (IP Summit) with its unique blend of keynote speakers and 25 workshops, running from reforms at the European and national levels to sectorial business practices across the spectrum of IP fields, provided once again a platform for fresh and critical ideas.
Report Explains Rapid Rise In Chinese Patents; Compares Innovation Quotient 11/12/2014 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 10 Comments China has been filing patents at far greater rates than any other nation on earth in recent years. This week, a Thomson Reuters report broke down that growth and compared it with other leading nations on the basis of innovation.
EPO Supervisory Body To Face Fears Over Patent Quality, Judicial Independence 10/12/2014 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments As staff strikes continue and the European Patent Office’s Administrative Council prepares for what could be a contentious 11 December meeting, opinions are split over the effect of the turmoil on the office’s role in Europe’s unitary patent.
WIPO Seminar: For Access To Hepatitis C Treatments, Look At HIV Lessons 08/12/2014 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A seminar on innovation and access to medicine last week examined the issue of access to hepatitis C treatment, looking at the HIV/AIDS path. Voluntary licences, such as the one entered by Gilead for its hepatitis drugs, have been applauded but such licences often do not cover middle-income countries, which are home to the bulk of hepatitis C patients, and whose poor populations remain unable to access treatment.