Leadership And Change: An Interview With Medicines Patent Pool Board Chair Marie-Paule Kieny 08/02/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The unexpected announcement in December of the resignation of the Medicines Patent Pool executive director left the Pool searching for its new head. Marie-Paule Kieny, former World Health Organization assistant director general, now chair of the MPP governance board stepped in to oversee the MPP while the search goes on. She sat down recently for an interview with Intellectual Property Watch to explain that MPP is conducting business as usual, and is keeping firm in its plan to release the results of a feasibility study analysing the possibility for MPP to extend its licensing activities to other essential medicines still under patent.
WHO To Help Countries With Price Transparency, Regulation, TRIPS Flexibilities 08/02/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr Tedros) held a press conference yesterday to present progress made since his election last May. His office answered a follow-up question today from Intellectual Property Watch on access to medicines and how the organisation could help countries to do a better job.
New Open Source Drug Discovery Initiative Takes Aim At “Devastating” Disease 07/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A consortium including the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative has launched a groundbreaking open source drug discovery project as way to find new drugs to treat mycetoma, a “devastating disease for which current treatments are ineffective, expensive, and toxic,” the group said.
Leaked Letter Shows Pressure On Colombia Not To Issue Compulsory Licence For Glivec 06/02/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A newly leaked 2016 letter from the CEO of Novartis to the president of Colombia, made available by Swiss group Public Eye, shows the level of concern the Swiss pharmaceutical company had over the effect of possible issuance of a compulsory licence for Novartis drug Glivec in the pivotal South American economy.
Medicines Innovation And Access: Swiss Stimulate New Thinking 06/02/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BERN, Switzerland — What if reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on access to health for all depended on the willingness of all actors to see beyond outdated dichotomies? The concept may seem obvious, but is easier described than done. In an effort to break silos, the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) brought together stakeholders of all sides last week to discuss how to harness political and economic will to achieve innovation leading to new medicines that are available and affordable for all in need.
Gavi-Harvard Study Shows Vaccines Will Save Tens Of Millions From Poverty 05/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Vaccination will help prevent some 24 million people from falling into poverty by 2030 in addition to saving millions of lives, shows a new study co-authored by Harvard University and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
WHO Executive Board Adopts Draft Resolution On TB, Stresses Importance Of Resistant TB In Overall Fight Against AMR 05/02/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Mirza Alas of the intergovernmental South Centre has published an analysis of the World Health Organization Executive Board approval of a draft resolution on actions toward ending tuberculosis and how it relates to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The opening paragraphs and a link to the original are provided below.
Republic Day Of India Celebration In Geneva: Sounds, Sights, Tastes – And History 30/01/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Friends and followers of the nation and culture of India gathered in Geneva this week to celebrate India’s Republic Day, with a ceremony and feast held in the halls of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. Among the many achievements and areas of growth mentioned of the rising economy was its prowess in generic medicines production.
Snakebite Gets Attention Of WHO Executive Board, Draft Resolution Approved 30/01/2018 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments A resolution to address the issue of snakebites, mainly in developing countries, was met with undisputed approval last week at the World Health Organization Executive Board. Some countries suggested that scorpion bites be mentioned in the resolution, which was deemed premature.
The Top 5 Issues In EU Medicines Policy For 2018 (Including IP) 30/01/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Yannis Natsis writes: There is a breakdown in communications between the pharmaceutical industry and Ministers of Health in Europe. The newly-deployed tactic of public, personalised attacks on national decision-makers who express concerns over high prices of medicines, reveal a change in the industry’s lobbying strategy that might damage the relationship irreparably.