Time For A Positive Agenda, WIPO’s Gurry Tells Copyright Crowd 13/06/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment In remarks that have raised questions among libraries and the information technology industry, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Francis last week told a copyright industry gathering that it is time to move away from a “negative” agenda of limitations and exceptions to copyright. It may also be a time for more private-sector involvement in international policymaking, he said.
New Brussels Lobbying Group Communia Works For A Stronger Public Domain 13/06/2011 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 2 Comments A new association is being launched this week in Brussels with the mission to promote the digital public domain. The move comes in the face of heavy lobbying for stronger copyright protection.
Targets, TRIPS Flexibilities In UN HIV Meeting Declaration; Brazil’s Health Minister Hails Outcome 10/06/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEW YORK – The declaration from the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS, which concluded today, set targets for responding to the disease and contained clear references to flexibilities to intellectual property law intended to assure needed medicines can be obtained affordably, according to Brazil’s health minister.
Merck Donates Natural Products Library For Research 08/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck will donate its entire library of natural products to the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research along with a grant, the institute announced this week. The library, one of the world’s largest, will be open for researchers around the world.
Drug Access Issues In Spotlight At UN High-Level Meeting On HIV, WIPO Event 08/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments This week the United Nations meets in New York with the possibility of finding a way to end the HIV crisis that in the past two decades spread like wildfire and decimated societies in many developing countries, in particular in sub-Saharan Africa.
New Fund To Help Ratify And Implement Nagoya Protocol 06/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new fund has been established to help developing countries ratify and implement the Nagoya protocol on access and benefit sharing, the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) said last week.
Partnership To Share Research, Keep IP Rights, On Neglected Diseases 01/06/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) signed an agreement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi on 30 May for a three-year research project on nine neglected tropical diseases that will come with intellectual property rights on research results for both sides, according to a press release from the international organisation in Switzerland.
Outgoing US Commerce Chief Backs House Patent Reform Bill, Nearly 31/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Outgoing United States Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today gave near-complete approval of legislation to reform US patent law which is awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
G8 Highlights Internet, IP Rights, Innovation, WIPO 27/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised countries today concluded their annual meeting, this year held in Deauville, France, with a communiqué bearing extensive discussion of the internet, intellectual property rights, and innovation – and a call for the World Intellectual Property Organization to step up work. In fact, it had a lot more to say about these issues than it did about the global economy or trade.
UN Project Examines Better Access To Drugs For The Poor Through Local Production 27/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Improving access to medicines in developing countries through local pharmaceutical production is at the centre of a project involving several institutional actors working on health and trade. Technology transfer is key to local production, but some prerequisites like a favourable policy environment and the ability of developing countries to use technology transfer are essential to encourage local production, according to panellists at a recent event.