Another Big Turnout For Second Public Dialogue Of UN High-Level Panel On Medicines Access 17/03/2016 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Today in Johannesburg, South Africa, the second of two public dialogues was held by the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, drawing another packed room and many ideas, experiences and suggestions for solutions.
Ukraine To Amend Customs Code, Ratify Amendments To TRIPS 16/03/2016 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Ukrainian Parliament is currently drafting an amended Customs Code to introduce a number of changes to the country’s intellectual property legislation. Moreover, in mid-March, local lawmakers authorised Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko to ratify the protocol amending the TRIPS agreement which enables increased exports of pharmaceuticals produced under compulsory licences to countries which are not capable of manufacturing them locally.
China’s Pharmaceutical Sector And The IP Puzzle 15/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Despite impressive growth, the pharmaceutical sector in China still relies on generic drug production since the majority of domestic companies cannot compete with country-based foreign corporations. Currently, following WTO pressure to oblige China to comply with IP regulations, more and more patented drugs are entering the market. Unfortunately, in spite of a newly introduced IP friendly bill, a puzzling situation persists, writes Pietro Dionisio.
US Senators Release Public Comments On Sovaldi Report 14/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Two key senators today released dozens of comments they received in response to their report on the medicine Sovaldi (and its follow-on Harvoni), whose extreme high prices sparked a debate over pharmaceutical pricing that has created momentum for policy changes.
High-Level UN Initiative On Global Public Health Gap Holds Landmark Hearing 11/03/2016 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments An initiative of the United Nations secretary general yesterday gathered what could be described as an assembly of many of the world’s best thinkers and practitioners on public health and intellectual property rights. Industry, activists, academics, international organisations, and possibly some governments poured out their views for nearly seven hours – at times coming to tears and tension – shepherded by an astute moderator, as they responded to the call to take a longstanding debate on medicines access and high prices to a breakthrough.
MSF Challenges Pfizer Patent Application For Pneumonia Vaccine In India 11/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Today, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) filed a patent opposition against Pfizer’s vaccine for pneumonia in India.
WHO Welcomes UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel, Offers Suggestions 10/03/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization has provided a list of suggestions to the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, highlighting WHO activities in this area and making suggestions on areas the WHO has not yet been able to complete. It also describes several new proposals by WHO, including a global “fair pricing forum,” a pooled health product R&D fund, and a global antibiotic research and development facility.
Civil Society Concerns Over US Health Service Plan To Give Exclusive Patent Rights To Sanofi 10/03/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States National Institutes of Health’s decision to consider granting an exclusive licence on patents for a newly government-developed vaccine to Sanofi has prompted a strong reaction from civil society warning against potential high prices and requesting transparency in the process.
Zika Virus R&D: No Vaccine Before 3 To 5 Years, Sample Sharing Needs Incentives 10/03/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments International experts convened by the World Health Organization this week on the Zika virus said vaccine development is a priority for the future but the most pressing need is to get diagnostic and prevention tools. Over 60 groups are hard at work on experimental products, according to the WHO, while a system of incentives to share virus samples is being considered.
Gilead Sovaldi Case Reveals Patent-Health Fissures In India 09/03/2016 by Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments NEW DELHI — Are patient groups, health activists and manufacturers of low-cost generic drugs always on the same page? Do India’s generic companies think alike? The short answer: not necessarily, though their interests have overlapped on many occasions.