WTO Paragraph 6 Meeting Aims At Improved Use Of Health Waiver 16/10/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The agenda has been circulated for the upcoming annual World Trade Organization review of an amendment to international IP trade law that has so far failed to increase access to needed medicines for the poorest economies. It shows a deeper look at existing measures and opens the possibility of new solutions to the issue.
WIPO Returns To Substantive Patent Law Talks After 5 Years, With Balance 16/10/2010 by William New and Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization today agreed on the first work programme for the committee on patent law in nearly five years. The delicate accord, reached after a long week of mostly closed negotiations, was quickly hailed by some as reflecting a new reality for the international patent system with stronger recognition of emerging economies’ interests.
WIPO Patent Committee Chair’s Text Shows Possible Future Work 15/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The chair of World Intellectual Property Organization Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) today circulated a text reflecting possible elements of future work for the committee. The text, which is now the subject of informal discussions, includes key parts of proposals put forward earlier in the week.
WHO Report: Progress On Neglected Tropical Diseases 14/10/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report released today by the World Health Organization found that 17 neglected tropical diseases can be controlled. If strategies set out in the report are implemented widely, “they can substantially reduce the disease burden, breaking a cycle of infection, disability and lost opportunities that keep people in poverty, WHO Director General Margaret Chan said in a press release.
Sign Up For Email Alerts Of IP-Watch Briefs! 13/10/2010 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Now available for Intellectual Property Watch readers: Email alerts for the IP-Watch Burble microblog, our breaking news briefs. A free service available to all, just sign up for email alerts here if you don’t already receive them. If you already receive IP-Watch email alerts, just scroll to the bottom of any email you receive (like this one) and click the link under “If you would like to modify the settings of your subscription,” which takes you to your individualised settings. Then add Burble to your categories. And of course you can also follow us on Twitter or by RSS feed, see www.ip-watch.org. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ip-watch.ch.
ACTA: No More Negotiating Rounds Planned; Latest Text To Be Released 04/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 8 Comments The round of negotiations in Tokyo last week on the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) will be the last in the several-year long process to come to a final agreement, negotiators have said. The latest text – along with highlighted issue areas on which certain countries still have reservations – will be released before the end of the week, negotiators told Intellectual Property Watch.
First Patent Holder Grants Licences To UNITAID 01/10/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States National Institutes of Health has become the first patent holder to join the newly created Medicines Patent Pool, a project of drug purchasing mechanism UNITAID. Public health organisations hailed the move as key step in the right direction but said there is still much work to do.
Echoes Of Global Patent Wars At WIPO Annual General Assembly 27/09/2010 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Echoes of the struggles and advances in patent policy around the world were heard this week in the annual meeting of the member governments of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. At stake is no less than the future of societies everywhere.
Special Report: Geneva, Public Health Capital Of The World 30/08/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment International public health in Geneva is no longer just the province of the World Health Organization. Dozens of intergovernmental and non-governmental agencies, along with financing organisations and partnerships, have headquartered their operations in Geneva, making the mid-sized Swiss city a public health capital of the world. Many of these organisations are engaged in addressing the critical interface between public health, development and innovation, including intellectual property rights. The following is a backgrounder and guide to many of the organisations working on these issues in town.
WHO Declares Flu Pandemic Over; Experts Behind Response Revealed 10/08/2010 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The pandemic threat of the H1N1 or “swine flu” virus has now passed, World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan announced today.