WHO Director Candidates Down To Three, Europe Drops In Ranking 25/01/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The number of candidates to be the next director general of the World Health Organization was reduced from five to three tonight, with Ethiopia, Pakistan and the United Kingdom still in the running. But in a race as unpredictable as this one, delegates and observers in the hallway were both surprised and not surprised by the outcome as Europe fell to the bottom of the list.
Medicines Patent Pool TB Deal Praised But Raises Concerns Of Affordability 25/01/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Medicines Patent Pool announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Johns Hopkins University for a candidate tuberculosis treatment. Although seen as a major step forward by public health groups, they said the agreement does not include guarantees that the treatment that could be brought to the market would be affordable for all.
WHO Board Trims Candidates For Director To Five; Two More Cuts Tomorrow 24/01/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments World Health Organization members took the first step toward choosing the next director general of the UN health agency today as they narrowed the candidates to five. There will be interviews held with the remaining candidates tomorrow, after which the list will be reduced to three until the May World Health Assembly.
UN Establishes Technology Bank For Least-Developed Countries, Including An IP Bank 06/01/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Nations has established a “technology bank” for least-developed countries that aims to strengthen the science, technology and innovation capacity of LDCs that includes better management of intellectual property rights.
Top IP-Watch Stories Of 2016 Reflect Cutting Edge Issues, Lingering Concerns 05/01/2017 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hundreds of thousands of people visited articles on Intellectual Property Watch last year, and we published nearly 1,000 original articles. The year’s most-visited articles reflected a mix of new ideas and policies worldwide and some recurring issues, with especially heavy attention on stories involving India.
UN General Assembly Resolution: TRIPS Flexibilities, High-Level Panel On Medicines Access 16/12/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Nations General Assembly this month is considering a resolution committing to elevate health issues to the highest levels of foreign policy. The resolution includes references and commitments related to dozens of existing instruments and tools aimed at improving health, including a full range of those on access to medicines, such as patent flexibilities under trade rules, and the recent report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on access to medicines and innovation.
UNITAID Board Adopts Resolution On IP Flexibilities Under Trade Rules 16/12/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Executive Board of UNITAID yesterday adopted a resolution on the use of the intellectual property flexibilities enshrined in the global trading system allowing developing countries to facilitate access to affordable medicines.
Group Finds Discrepancies In Implementation Of Nagoya Protocol Between EU, Providers 15/12/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A new report by two civil society groups explores what they say are discrepancies between European Union and provider country laws implementing the Nagoya Protocol on genetic resources, which they say could lead to legal uncertainties for users and providers.
ICC Named UN Observer – Big Business Gets A Seat At The UN Table 14/12/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The International Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business organisation, today was granted observer status at the United Nations General Assembly, given business a direct voice in the UN system for the first time ever, the ICC announced.
UNESCO Report Backs Right To Encryption In ‘Golden Age Of Surveillance’ 13/12/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has released a report on encryption, taking the perspective of human rights.