WHO Or Who Should Guarantee The Right To Health? 24/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment With implementation of the World Health Organization strategy on intellectual property and innovation beginning in earnest, international experts this week debated how human rights could be infused into global health strategies – including the possibility of new international agreements on research and development – and whether WHO is up to the task.
First Result Of Benefit-Sharing Mechanism For FAO Treaty; Push For Farmers’ Rights 22/06/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Members of a global treaty on plant genetic resources this month announced 11 new projects on biodiversity conservation in research institutions, and financed by a benefit-sharing fund whose sustainability is still in doubt. The group separately acted to better protect farmers’ rights at the national level.
Financial Crisis Provides Opportunity, Pitfalls For Green Innovation 18/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment LAUSANNE – One should not waste a good crisis, goes the common wisdom – a piece of advice policymakers might use to spur the world closer to a green, knowledge-based economy, said a panel at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Wednesday. The current financial crisis and an awakening recognition of the ecological crisis have presented a unique opportunity for innovation – and particularly green innovation – to take a lead role in driving future economies.
Malgré les obstacles, les pressions de la France au niveau national visant à sanctionner le piratage sur Internet font des émules 18/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment WASHINGTON – Le 9 juin, au cours d’une conférence, la ministre française de la Culture et de la Communication, Christine Albanel, a défini la loi Création et Internet comme étant « à la fois ambitieuse et réaliste ». Selon elle, ceux qui pensent qu’Internet est une zone de non-droit « se trompent d’époque ». À l’occasion de cette conférence, des hypothèses ont également été avancées quant à la législation américaine entourant la réforme des brevets, les droits d’interprétation et d’exécution, et d’autres questions.
OECD Report: “Creative Destruction,” Innovation Focus Needed In Economic Crisis 16/06/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments As members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) prepare to meet for their annual ministerial meeting in Paris next week, the organisation has issued a report calling for a strategic, innovation-driven response to the economic crisis.
UN Special Rapporteur: IP In Health Helping Those With Most Means, Less Need 16/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Nearly two billion people lack access to the medical care they need, and in the developing world those who do manage to have access are overwhelmingly paying out-of-pocket, often triggering a fall into poverty. The monopoly-making power of patents to drive the cost of medicines beyond affordability is a significant contributor to this disturbing trend, says a report of the United Nations rapporteur on the right to health presented at last week’s Human Rights Council.
GAVI, Gates Deploy Industry-Favoured Incentive For Vaccines To Poor Countries 12/06/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Major public health funders have alighted upon an industry-favoured approach of guaranteeing certain prices to industry to make vaccines available to least-developed country markets.
Copyright Holders Acknowledge Losing Battle For Public Consciousness At World Copyright Summit 11/06/2009 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 34 Comments WASHINGTON, DC – Copyright holders on Wednesday acknowledged they have done a poor job of countering the “anti-copyright” lobby and demonstrating the creative community’s value to the world.
UN-Led Commission Sees Needs In Internet Governance, Science, Technology 08/06/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A commission under the United Nations charged with monitoring progress in improving science and technology in places where access is difficult and capacity to use that access scarce, concluded its recent annual meeting with draft resolutions on internet and society and on development and science. One notes that there is still much work to be done to bridge the ‘digital divide’ that creates disparities in access to information technology and knowledge in the world; the other calls on governments and UN institutions to find innovative ways to support innovative capacity.
Proposed Rules On Public Research In South Africa Stir Debate 04/06/2009 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 11 Comments Draft rules on intellectual property rights in publicly financed research are stirring significant debate in South Africa between those who say the rules may stifle innovation, breach WHO commitments and be unconstitutional, and others who say concerns are overblown and the measures are needed to boost the country’s economy.