WIPO Genetic Resources Expert Group Ponders Disclosure Requirement, Databases 27/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment On the eve of this week’s meeting of a World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources, an expert group met behind closed doors to discuss some of the more difficult issues. The report of the expert group to the full committee on 25 June confirmed differences but also common views and avenues to be explored, and has been carried into the week.
US Raises Economic Concerns About Proposals At WIPO On Patents And Genetic Resources 27/06/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Normally known for sanguine views of rules to strengthen intellectual property rights globally, the United States government this week submitted a paper at the World Intellectual Property Organization putting forward private sector economic concerns about proposals to strengthen international rules for patenting of genetic resources aimed largely at helping developing countries.
The Myth Of IP Incentives For All Nations – Q&A With Carlos Correa 20/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 15 Comments Dr Carlos Maria Correa, an Argentinian economist and lawyer, is globally renowned for his expertise on international trade, intellectual property, health, technology transfer, investment policy and especially their impact on developing countries. He has authored several books and academic articles and been a visiting professor at several universities. Additionally, he has consulted with many United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and other regional and international organisations and has advised several governments on intellectual property, innovation policy and public health. Correa was a member of the UK Commission on Intellectual Property, of the Commission on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Public Health established by the World Health Assembly and of the FAO Panel of Eminent Experts on Ethics in Food and Agriculture. Currently, he is the Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Industrial Property and Economics Law, at the University of Buenos Aires. He takes over as the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Geneva-based South Centre from 1 July 2018. Correa recently engaged in an interview with Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch. [Note: this interview is number two of two. The first was with Dr Othoman Mellouk.]
MSF Challenges Gilead Hepatitis C Patent In China 19/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) filed a patent challenge at the China State Intellectual Property Office today, asking for the invalidation of a Gilead patent on a hepatitis C medicine.
The Myth Behind Health And Trade Agreements – Q&A With Othoman Mellouk 18/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 12 Comments Dr Othoman Mellouk is a Moroccan treatment advocate who has been working on intellectual property and access to medicines for more than a decade. He is the Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines Lead at the international treatment preparedness coalition (ITPC), a global network of people living with HIV and their advocates working together to achieve access to HIV and Viral Hepatitis and a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Committee on HIV and Hepatitis. Dr Mellouk started off in the Association for the Fight against AIDS which has been at the forefront of the response to HIV in Morocco and the introduction of the first anti-HIV generic medicines in the country. In a series supported by the Make Medicines Affordable organisation, Mellouk recently engaged in an interview with Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch. [Note: this interview is one of two. An interview with Carlos Correa will follow.]
Health Policy Watch: Senior Reporter – Global Health Policy – Job Announcement 11/06/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NOTE: POSITION CLOSED – Health Policy Watch, www.healthpolicy-watch.org, is seeking a dynamic journalist to lead our reporting on global health policy issues in Geneva and beyond. The writer will form part of a small, dynamic team committed to providing top-quality, independent, professional reporting to our audience.
Legislation For South Africa’s New IP Policy Likely After Elections Next Year 11/06/2018 by Linda Daniels for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Legislative changes giving effect to South Africa’s recently published Intellectual Property Policy “Phase 1” will not take place during this term of government, the country’s trade minister has said. Meanwhile, a side-by-side comparison with the 2017 draft legislation shows a series of changes in the final policy, and the pharmaceutical industry is complaining but appears determined to continue investing in the country.
TRIPS Council Debates IP Improving Lives, Competition Law To Increase Medicines Access 07/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Whether intellectual property rights are improving lives or whether they should be reined in by tools such as competition law to increase access to medicine, education, and innovation, was debated this week at the World Trade Organization committee on intellectual property. Also on the agenda was a suggestion by least-developed countries to create incentives for developed country companies and institutions to transfer technologies for the benefit of the poorest countries.
Experts In Geneva: Substandard, Falsified Medicines Not About IP 06/06/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Falsified and substandard medical products continue to be a global concern, and how those products are characterised is important to avoid confusion, particularly with intellectual property rights infringement. A panel convened by Brazil, India and South Africa yesterday at the World Trade Organization looked at the implications of a new definition of such products at the neighbouring World Health Organization.
New South African IP Policy Text Now Available 31/05/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The new Intellectual Property Policy of South Africa has now been posted to a government website.