WCO Kills “SECURE” Group, But Creates Health Enforcement Mandate 09/07/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Customs Organization at its annual assembly in late June replaced a controversial group on counterfeiting and piracy with a softer dialogue mechanism that may defuse earlier concerns of potential overreaching on intellectual property infringement by customs officials. But it added a new mandate on health to a separate committee on enforcement that could raise new concerns.
EU Finds Anti-Competitive Abuse Of Pharmaceutical Patents, Launches Antitrust Action 08/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Pharmaceutical companies are manipulating the intellectual property rights system and are “actively trying to delay the entry of generic medicines onto their markets,” a top EU official said of an EU inquiry into the pharmaceutical sector released Wednesday. As a result, there has been a decline in the number of innovative medicines getting to the market, it says.
Kenyan AIDS Patients Seek To Overturn Anti-Counterfeiting Law As Unconstitutional 07/07/2009 by Nicholas Wadhams for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments NAIROBI – Three HIV/AIDS patients in Kenya announced Tuesday they will petition the country’s Constitutional Court to declare a new anti-counterfeiting act illegal because it could deny them access to generic medicines. The move, which has the support of public health groups across the country, seeks to have the 2008 Anti-Counterfeiting Act made unconstitutional on the grounds that it could rob them of their right to life.
Special Report – ICANN: New CEO, New Government Role, Accelerated International Domains 06/07/2009 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment With three important processes coming to a head at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) this year, it is difficult not to overlook some changes in the private body, which oversees the internet domain name system. At ICANN’s recent board meeting, the appointment of a shiny new CEO, former United States Homeland Security Department cybersecurity director Rod Beckstrom, drew attention away from top issues, which include the introduction of new top-level domains, ongoing institutional reform, and the looming September expiration of the ICANN-US government agreement.
Late-Night Breakdown On Traditional Knowledge At WIPO; Future Unclear 06/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on the protection of indigenous knowledge, expressions and genetic resources failed to reach consensus on future work Friday, putting the future of the committee in the hands of the WIPO General Assemblies in September.
Collaborative Innovation And ICTs Could Give Economy Back Its Colours 06/07/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Innovation and technology will be key to emergence from the global economic crisis, according to speakers at a recent United Nations conference on innovation-based competitiveness. However, innovation should be collaborative and involve resources inside and outside companies and institutions.
US Cablevision Decision Has Implications For Cloud Computing, Online Advertising 03/07/2009 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A recent United States Supreme Court order letting stand a decision that a proposed remote digital video recorder does not violate copyright law has major implications for internet “cloud computing” and advertisers, intellectual property lawyers say.
WIPO Members Seek Deal To Negotiate On Traditional Knowledge Protection 03/07/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment World Intellectual Property Organization members this week are intensively working toward agreement on a proposal to start negotiations for a tool to better protect traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and traditional cultural expressions, after nearly a decade of talking about the subject.
Report: Drug Companies Violating WHO Ethics On Advertising In East Africa 02/07/2009 by Nicholas Wadhams for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment NAIROBI – Drug companies routinely violate World Health Organization ethical guidelines when advertising and promoting their products in East Africa, according to a new study released Thursday.
Tribes To WIPO — Long-Term Protection For Traditional Knowledge Needed 02/07/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Indigenous people and governments like the United States’ may be able to help each other, especially when it comes to protecting traditional knowledge while also using it combat global crises like climate change, says Terry Williams of the Tulalip Tribes. But additional protection for traditional knowledge is needed.