Views Mixed On WTO Doha Declaration On Public Health After Five Years 16/11/2006 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By William New A panel of key Geneva actors on policy related to intellectual property rights and public health on 14 November gave a range of views on the World Trade Organization Doha Declaration five years after its agreement. Several non-governmental groups and a developing country official saw some benefits but raised concerns about future […]
Sources: Internal Memo Suggests Shift In WHO Handling Of US Criticism 10/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen A World Health Organization (WHO) director has taken the unusual step of writing a memorandum directly to the head of the WHO, seeking clarity on the organisation’s handling of a United States complaint involving WHO staff, according to anonymous sources. The memo was prompted by concern that the organisation is […]
European Commission Debates Neglected Disease Effort – Outside The IP System 09/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen BRUSSELS – When the European Commission’s plan to include neglected diseases in its next research programme was debated at a conference here, intellectual property rights played a rather small role. This is a good sign, the Commission said, but some participants disagreed. The 8-9 November international conference on neglected infectious […]
Margaret Chan Of Hong Kong Chosen As Next WHO Director General 08/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Margaret Chan of Hong Kong (China) has been elected the next director general of the World Health Organization by a large majority of member governments, according to sources. “It is not a surprise that Chan was chosen but with such a big margin – that is a surprise,” a source […]
WHO Short-lists Five Candidates For Director General Post 06/11/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a short list of five candidates for the post of director general, sources said. The list includes: China, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico and Spain. A number of sources have indicated to Intellectual Property Watch that the candidates who are most likely to replace Lee […]
Seminar: Smaller Drug Companies May Have Niche Role In Neglected Diseases 31/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen There may be a market advantage for small and medium-sized pharmaceutical enterprises (SMEs) in focusing on diseases prevalent in developing countries that are neglected by larger companies, according to a recent seminar. The seminar was held by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with a United Kingdom-based free-market […]
Un rapport incite les États-Unis à demander à l’OMS une révision de sa politique de publication 30/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Par Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen À Washington, un haut fonctionnaire américain de la santé publique invite instamment le président de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé à retirer une publication commanditée par l’OMS qui se montre critique envers la politique commerciale des États-Unis. Le haut fonctionnaire accuse l’Organisation d’une éventuelle incompétence organisationnelle et demande une révision […]
WHO Online Consultations On IP Working Group Begin Next Week 27/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment [Editor’s Note: This story was modified shortly after publication to reflect the WHO reply on meeting participation.] By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the dates for online consultations on the working group on public health, innovation and intellectual property from 1 to 15 November, it said today. “WHO encourages […]
Way Sought To Boost Developing Country Production Of Essential Medicines 26/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen Participants at a recent United Nations seminar on developing country production of essential medicines agreed that such a scenario should be possible but they disagreed on the means to get there. While there was disagreement about the practicalities of certain intellectual property-related regulations (such as when and who should use […]
Global Pharmaceutical Industry Launches Ethics Code, Highlights Importance Of Patents 20/10/2006 by Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen As part of its greater focus on accountability and transparency, the global pharmaceutical industry will launch a new code of marketing ethics next year, it announced at its recent biennial meeting in Geneva. Meanwhile, its stand in support of patents will remain unchanged, although its strategy was challenged at the […]