Another Big Turnout For Second Public Dialogue Of UN High-Level Panel On Medicines Access 17/03/2016 by William New and Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Today in Johannesburg, South Africa, the second of two public dialogues was held by the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, drawing another packed room and many ideas, experiences and suggestions for solutions.
UNESCO Report On Globalisation Of Cultural Trade 15/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment A new UN report provides significant detail on the increasing flows of cultural trade worldwide. On intellectual property rights, the report appears to primarily examine copyright as a form of revenue generation.
Changes At Top Of The UN; Recruitment Ongoing 15/03/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment This year will be the last in office for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. A number of Eastern European candidates are being proposed by their governments to be the next secretary general. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the UN Environment Programme are expected to have a new head by summer. Meanwhile, chairs are actively revolving in law offices.
High-Level UN Initiative On Global Public Health Gap Holds Landmark Hearing 11/03/2016 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments An initiative of the United Nations secretary general yesterday gathered what could be described as an assembly of many of the world’s best thinkers and practitioners on public health and intellectual property rights. Industry, activists, academics, international organisations, and possibly some governments poured out their views for nearly seven hours – at times coming to tears and tension – shepherded by an astute moderator, as they responded to the call to take a longstanding debate on medicines access and high prices to a breakthrough.
WHO Welcomes UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel, Offers Suggestions 10/03/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization has provided a list of suggestions to the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, highlighting WHO activities in this area and making suggestions on areas the WHO has not yet been able to complete. It also describes several new proposals by WHO, including a global “fair pricing forum,” a pooled health product R&D fund, and a global antibiotic research and development facility.
UN Global Dialogue On Innovation And Access To Medicines This Week 08/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines is holding a global dialogue this month, attended by governments, civil society, industry and academia, to discuss potential solutions to promote innovation and at the same time increase access to medicines. The first public dialogue session is this week, on 10 March in London.
Apple-FBI Case Has “Serious Global Ramifications,” UN Human Rights Chief Says 04/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, today issued a statement urged United States law enforcement authorities to exercise caution in their legal fight against Apple computer company, saying it could have “extremely damaging implications for the human rights of many millions of people, including their physical and financial security.”
Whistleblowers Detail Accountability Problems At The Top Of WIPO; US Congressional Members Prepare Actions 25/02/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments WASHINGTON, DC — A set of senior former employees of the World Intellectual Property Organization and their representatives yesterday gave detailed sworn testimony to US lawmakers on what they termed extremely serious misconduct and retaliation at the United Nations agency. A congressional subcommittee chairman told Intellectual Property Watch afterward that based on all they have heard, they believe WIPO Director General Francis Gurry has “gone rogue” and that action against him will begin immediately. The US State Department will be pressed to demand a copy of a newly completed UN investigation of Gurry that apparently has been shared with the Colombian Ambassador in Geneva, Gabriel Duque, who is chair of the WIPO General Assembly this year.
US Congressional Hearing On WIPO Accountability This Week 22/02/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments Several subcommittees of the United States Congress have scheduled a joint hearing this week on accountability and possible mistreatment of staff and whistleblowers at the UN World Intellectual Property Organization. The witness list for the hearing includes several high-level critics of the current WIPO director general who used to work for him. Meanwhile, observers are questioning what has happened to the report from an official UN investigation of WIPO.
Climate Change Panel Seeks To Improve Communication, Open Doors To Private Sector 18/02/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change seeks to improve its communication to promote its reports, its chair said at a briefing yesterday. Working on its next assessment report expected to be released in five or six years, the IPCC seeks to increase participation of the private sector as a major stakeholders upon which depends the investment to find solutions to climate change he said.