UNCTAD: Bundle Of Opportunities To Improve Medicines Access In LDCs 09/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Access to essential medicines in least developed countries (LDCs) could be facilitated through local production, according to a report released today by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
WIPO Committee On Development Agenda Suspended, Discussions Bogged Down 07/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization committee in charge of overseeing the implementation of the organisation’s cornerstone Development Agenda, ended abruptly when the session was suspended after a strong disagreement over a development project.
WIPO Members Renew Debate Over Development Agenda Implementation, Coordination 04/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A debate has arisen this week among World Intellectual Property Organization members over a WIPO secretariat report on implementation of the 2007 Development Agenda, which was intended to infuse a stronger development dimension into the UN agency’s activities.
WIPO Internal Audit Division Seeks Consultants To Assess IP In Kenya 02/05/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization Internal Audit and Oversight Division is seeking expressions of interest from consultants to conduct an evaluation and analysis of Kenya’s performance with intellectual property rights during the years 2005 to 2010. The study aims to help WIPO members to assess the effect of the UN agency’s work in the country during that time, and to boost learning and accountability.
WHO Calls For Proposals To Finance R&D For Diseases Affecting Developing World 02/05/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A call for proposals was launched today by the World Health Organization expert group in charge of making recommendations on ways to encourage and finance research and development for diseases that mostly affect developing countries.
WIPO Delegates Meet On IP And Development Implementation 29/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Intellectual property has often been considered by developing countries as a hindrance to development rather than a driving force. Next week, delegates to the World Intellectual Property Organization will discuss the implementation of the organisation’s commitment to take development considerations more substantially into its work. In particular, delegates are expected to try to agree on the coordination mechanism of the committee responsible for the effort.
WHO Pandemic Flu Deal Doesn’t Go Far Enough, NGOs Say 21/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Two civil society groups said the recent World Health Organization agreement on influenza pandemic strategy is an improvement on the present situation but has key shortcomings.
Plant Breeder’s Rights – A Blessing Or A Curse? 20/04/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Niels Louwaars of the Centre for Genetic Resources, Wageningen University, The Netherlands, discusses the importance of plant breeder’s rights. He makes the case for a carefully balanced protection for plant breeders and changes to patents in agriculture, in order to ensure a competitive, diversified supply of plant varieties and seeds.
Lessig At CERN: Scientific Knowledge Should Not Be Reserved For Academic Elite 19/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Free culture leader and Harvard University law professor Larry Lessig was at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) yesterday to talk about access to scientific knowledge on internet. In the symbolic place where the World Wide Web was invented and where scientists are now trying to unravel the creation of the universe, Lessig praised CERN’s open access initiative and in this temple of reasoning, said the copyright architecture was on the edge of absurdity.
WHO Group Strikes Landmark Deal On Global Framework For Flu Pandemics 18/04/2011 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 7 Comments After a week of discussions, a good part of which centred around intellectual property issues, World Health Organization members agreed to a framework aimed at better addressing future influenza pandemics and facilitating vaccines access for developing country populations, with industry contributions.