Event Looks At UN High-Level Panel On Medicines Access, SDGs And Policy Coherence 15/07/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment An event on 17 July at the United Nations in New York will address the “UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines: Advancing Health-Related SDGs through Policy Coherence.”
Arduous Discussions At WIPO For New Country/Regional Offices, No Winners Yet 15/07/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Attracting a World Intellectual Property Organization external office appears to be a critical priority for a number of countries that have put forward their candidacy for four possible new openings. During the WIPO Program and Budget Committee this week, some of those candidates delivered presentations highlighting their most striking assets, such as bridging continents, region, and economic blocs. But discussions could not lead to the chosen winners this week.
3P Project Enables Radical Change In R&D For TB Treatment 15/07/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new project that stimulates the development of affordable and effective drug regimens to treat tuberculosis (TB) is catching notice in policy circles.
Intermediaries Could Be Made Liable In EU Copyright Legislation 14/07/2017 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Positions on the new draft European Union Copyright Directive lie so far apart in the European Parliament that compromise before an expected October vote seems nearly impossible. Critics of a new special copyright for press publishers – and of a radical change towards holding internet intermediaries liable for what their users upload – were highly alarmed by this week’s developments in Brussels.
UN Report On Innovative Tech To Achieve SDGs Highlights Role Of E-Commerce, Big Data 13/07/2017 by Peter Kenny for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Access to artificial intelligence, big data, FinTech, eHealth, and digital connectivity are increasingly providing individuals around the world with access to vital resources such as employment opportunities, online banking and healthcare, according to a United Nations report released today.
WIPO’s Gurry: Artificial Intelligence, Gene Editing Latest ‘Winners’ In Innovation 13/07/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The main winners of innovation are technologies that enable market application, with gene editing and artificial intelligence as two examples, Francis Gurry, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, told a panel discussion last week. Thomas Cueni, director general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), said at the same event that everybody benefits from innovation.
Access To Medicines For All By 2030: New WHO Strategic Framework Sets Vision 13/07/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Access to affordable and quality medicines for all is one of the major commitments of the World Health Organization, and its new medicines and health products strategic framework for the next 15 years calls for new research and development (R&D) models, including delinkage of the R&D costs from the price of products, and fair pricing.
Course Packs For Education Ruled Legal In India: Triumph For Access To Educational Materials 12/07/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments On 9 May 2017, a five year court battle between publishers and universities finally came to an end when the Supreme Court of India dismissed an appeal by the Indian Reprographic Rights Organization (IRRO) challenging an earlier judgment of Delhi High Court that ruled course packs in India legal for educational purposes. In a case that gained wide international attention, issues such as the cost of textbooks in India were raised, students agitated for fair access to educational materials, and the jurisprudence on copyright in India has taken a leap forward. In this guest blog, Anubha Sinha, Programme Officer on Openness and Access to Knowledge at the Centre for Internet and Society India, discusses the judgment in the case known as the ‘Delhi University photocopy’ case, and what it means for access to educational materials in India.
WIPO Budget First Reading: SDGs, External Offices, Possible Treaty Negotiation 12/07/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization members this week have discussed the first draft of the budget of the organisation for the biennium 2018/2019. Questions have been asked about how WIPO is contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, how much WIPO committees and external offices will cost, and how WIPO can help developing countries increase their IP development.
EPO Begins Process For New President, Administrative Council Head 12/07/2017 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Patent Office is seeking a successor to President Benoît Battistelli, whose term ends in June 2018. Will a new chief and new Administrative Council (AC) chairman be able to resolve the never-ending turmoil between management and staff?