Study: Misuse Of Patent System Affecting Health System In Australia 10/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Research from the University of Melbourne has found that patents may be keeping pharmaceuticals expensive in Australia, but said that most of the patents are being taken out by companies that are not the originators of the drugs.
Brand Owners Seek Their Own ICANN Constituency Group 09/04/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Brand owners that have applied with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for their brand’s top level domain (TLD) are seeking to create their own constituency group.
North American Universities Seen Failing To Promote Socially Responsible Licensing 05/04/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A student group is holding top research universities in the US and Canada accountable for how much they are – or are not – contributing to global public health. According to a recently released report by Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a non-profit organisation, most institutions are falling short when it comes to investing in neglected diseases and promoting access to medicines.
African Regional Plant Variety Protection Draft Legislation Raises Protest 05/04/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A draft protocol for the protection of new varieties of plants proposed by an inter-governmental African regional economic community is provoking the ire of civil society concerned about the potential impact of the protocol on small farmers, and the lack of consultation of farmers.
Report Analyses Fast-Track Green Patent Applications 28/03/2013 by Tiphaine Nunzia Caulier for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report finds that an overview is needed of the fast-tracking patent system on “green” technologies in the countries where this mechanism is in place – in seven industrialised and two developing countries.
Royalty-Setting For Standard Essential Patents Might Be Balanced By Prospect Of Injunction, Speakers Say 28/03/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Threats of injunction in cases of infringement of essential standard patents, which have raised concerns in Europe and the United States as being leverage for patent holders to get higher royalties, might in fact be a way to maintain an equilibrium in royalty-setting, according to speakers at a World Intellectual Property Organization event.
Biovision: Personalised Medicine, Climate Change, Sustainability Need Innovation 27/03/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Lyon, France – Biovision, a biennial international event on life sciences, brought together some 3,000 participants this week to discuss and compare experiences in different fields, including personalised medicine, how best to use natural resources and the impact of climate change on food security. Open innovation was presented as a way forward, and the role of companies in mitigation was deemed important but with ethics.
Former US Congressman Howard Berman Joins Lobbying Firm 27/03/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Former United States Congressman Howard Berman, a California Democrat regarded as a strong proponent of intellectual property rights protection, has joined law firm Covington & Burling LLP’s global public policy and government affairs practice.
UPOV 1991 Will Adversely Impact Farmers In Tanzania, Civil Society And Farmers Say 25/03/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Tanzania is on the road to becoming a member of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), but Tanzanian civil society and farmers’ organisations have warned about possible detrimental effects on small-holder farmers and have asked government to halt the ratification process until all stakeholders have been consulted.
Diverging Views On IPR Protection Needs In Africa Emerge At IP Workshop 25/03/2013 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – Nigeria’s booming film industry, born in an intellectual property-free environment, was presented as a case study of how IP needs may vary depending on context during a recent workshop organised by the US Commerce Department. In parallel, representatives of multinational brands and law enforcement delivered a strong message on the gravity of counterfeit trade, highlighting its link to organised crime.