A Question Of Balance In IP Rights In South Africa 21/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – There are human rights issues with intellectual property, Mmboneni Muofhe, deputy director-general for international cooperation and resources at the South African Department of Science and Technology, said at an industry-driven conference here this week.
India Weathering Doubts About Its Approach To Intellectual Property 18/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 11 Comments NEW YORK – The US Chamber of Commerce has been on a campaign to show that India’s recent treatment of intellectual property is harming foreign investment and its economy. Last week, the heavyweight Washington industry group brought its argument directly to the investment community in Manhattan.
Health Diplomacy Spreading, Competent Health Diplomats Needed, Geneva Speakers Say 15/11/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Global health diplomacy was the subject of a symposium organised by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute this week. The symposium explored the crossing lines between health diplomacy and science diplomacy, in particular how can diplomacy facilitate international scientific cooperation in health. This week was also the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization protocol against illicit trade in tobacco products.
Wikileaks’ Release Of TPP Chapter On IP Blows Open Secret Trade Negotiation 13/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 9 Comments For years, the United States and partner governments have worked vigorously to keep the publics they represent from knowing what they are negotiating behind closed doors in the top-secret Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. But today’s Wikileaks release of the draft intellectual property chapter blew that up, confirming the fears of public interest groups that this is an agreement heavily weighted toward big industry interests.
WHO Experts To Narrow Health R&D Projects For Developing Countries At December Meeting 06/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Years-old efforts by members of the World Health Organization to come up with viable ways to boost research and development of medical products for diseases primarily affecting poor populations are coming to head, with a key meeting in December. That meeting of experts will be an opportunity to narrow down proposals being developed by the six WHO regional offices.
Industry Questions Canadian Courts’ Overturning Of Patents 31/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a new blog post, Michelle Wein, research analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, criticises a series of decisions by the Canadian courts overturning certain patents based on a re-evaluation of the usefulness criterion that a patent must meet. She argues that this trend reduces the effectiveness of the international patent system, inhibits innovation and reduces the distribution of life-saving medications.
WHO Performance Undermined By Inadequate EU Collaboration 23/10/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Though the WHO is among the recipients of EU contributions, support should be scaled up now that the WHO fears program cuts because of a persistent funding crisis. Revenues from a Financial Transaction Tax would be a resource for the EU to partly allocate for WHO needs, writes Daniele Dionisio.
UNDP Study Calls On South Africa To Use TRIPS Flexibilities For Medicines Access 18/10/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A newly published study from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) outlines significant problems in accessing medicines in South Africa – which is said to have the highest number of people living with HIV in the world – and urges its government to use available tools under international trade law such as exceptions to patents on needed medicines.
New EU Customs Regulation Might Allow Wrongful Seizures Of Generic Drugs In Transit, NGOs Say 17/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A recent European Union regulation on customs enforcement of intellectual property rights has raised concerns among civil society actors who find that the regulation might not be an improvement over its previous version under which seizure of legal generic medicines in transit occurred a few years ago, leading to a World Trade Organization dispute.
GAVI: Reducing Prices To Immunise 250 Million Children By 2015 15/10/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The GAVI Alliance launched a mid-term report this week showing that the public-private partnership is on track to immunise more than 250 million children by 2015 and prevent some four million deaths. GAVI’s CEO said it uses multiple tools to help reduce prices of vaccine and that intellectual property rights do not pose a serious threat to its success.