USPTO Acting Director Discusses Patent Quality, Pendency, Harmonisation 03/03/2015 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At today’s meeting of the “trilateral offices” – the United States, Europe and Japan – Deputy Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office Michelle Lee gave an update of USPTO activities, including improvements in patent quality, patent pendency, and discussions about patent harmonisation.
EPO Hits New Record In Patent Filings; US, China Rise 03/03/2015 by Joséphine De Ruyck for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BRUSSELS – In 2014, patent filings at the European Patent Office (EPO) reached an all-time high, as announced by EPO President Benoît Battistelli last week at the traditional Annual Results Press Conference. Among key patenting trends were figures revealing strong growth in filings from the United States and China.
Design Law Seminar In Geneva Discusses Current Issues And Concerns 02/03/2015 by Elena Bourtchouladze for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Experts gathered in Geneva recently to discuss current issues and future developments in the protection of industrial designs and its importance, and give practical advice on suitable ways to protect and enforce the design rights.
Why The Request By Least Developed Countries For An Extension Of The Transitional Period For Granting And Enforcing Medicines Patents Needs To Be Supported 27/02/2015 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Ellen ‘t Hoen writes: On 24 February 2015 Bangladesh on behalf of the 34 Least Developed Country members (LDCs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) submitted a request for an extension of the transitional period under article 66.1 TRIPS with respect to pharmaceutical products until the country is no longer classified as LDC.[1] The original extension, set to expire on 1st January 2016, specifically removes the obligation for LDCs to comply with Section 5 (Patents) and Section 7 (Protection of Undisclosed Information) of Part II of TRIPS, including any obligation to enforce rights under these provisions. It is a little known fact that since the adoption of the 2001 Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, LDCs have frequently used the extension in day-to-day procurement of low cost generic medicines, in particular to access medicines needed for the treatment of HIV.
South Africa Awaits Patent Reforms With Hope, Concern 27/02/2015 by Munyaradzi Makoni for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s new policy on patents could go to the Cabinet for approval soon, says Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), one of the organisations spearheading the Fix the Patent Laws campaign in the country.
New Quiet Initiative To Improve Drug Access In Middle-Income Countries, Change Country Classification System 25/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments This week a confidential high-level expert meeting was convened in Geneva to start work on a potential change in the country classification used by global health actors to remedy the growing problem of access to medicines in middle-income countries.
In 21st Century No One Should Die For Lack Of Access To Medicines, Participants At UN Forum Say 23/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Last week’s 2015 Social Forum led by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called for urgent action to facilitate access to medicines. In particular, the functioning of the intellectual property system was put into question. A number of recommendations were drawn by the secretariat after having been identified by participants.
TRIPS In Question During Social Forum Discussion On Access To Medicines 23/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property rights are hindering access to medicines by maintaining monopolies and high prices, according to speakers at an annual United Nations forum on human rights last week. Flexibilities enshrined in the World Trade Organization intellectual property agreement are hampered by political and economical pressure, they said, and a new system should be devised for pharmaceutical products.
Neuchâtel Event Looks At Swiss Innovation, Competitiveness 20/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NEUCHATEL – Switzerland is among the best students of global innovation. It continues to score at the top of global indexes and reports on innovation and competitiveness. At a seminar last week at the University of Neuchâtel, speakers gave their views on that success.
WIPO Seminar Could Rekindle Discussions On Genetic Resources, TK 20/02/2015 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment After the failure to agree on work to be done by the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on genetic resources and traditional knowledge at the last general assembly, and a barren calendar of meetings on the subject, WIPO is organising a seminar aimed at sharing regional, national and local experiences.