Longest, Biggest World Health Assembly Ever Set To Open With Election, Budget Topping Agenda 12/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The 70th World Health Assembly opening in a few days is the WHA of superlatives, according to a World Health Organization’s official. It is the longest assembly ever, with nine days of meeting, the largest number delegates, of agenda items, and of documents. It is also when the new WHO new director general will be elected, and when the WHO next budget is expected to be approved.
WHO, Stakeholders Take ‘First Step’ On Fair Pricing For Medicines 12/05/2017 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Health Organization has concluded a major one-day forum on fair pricing of medicines, bringing a wide range of stakeholders together in Amsterdam and coming up with several possible actions for the way ahead. Key points of discussion included a definition of fair pricing, moving away from value-based pricing, delinkage of price from research and development costs, and greater transparency, according to participants.
WHO Touts Its Past Work On Improving Access To Medicines 11/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization today published an item entitled, Access to medicines: making market forces serve the poor, a chapter from its report ‘Ten years in public health 2007-2017’ of outgoing WHO Director General Margaret Chan.
WHO Studies On Local Pharma Production Provide Key Contrasts Between China, India 11/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Two new studies published by the World Health Organization provide insight on the production of pharmaceutical products in India and China. According to the studies, China has a substantial local pharmaceutical manufacturing sector which the Chinese government is closely linking to its policy objective of universal health care. India, the main global provider of generic medicines is not pursuing a comparable focus on universal health care. India is increasingly faced with Chinese pharmaceutical sector competition, with China being its main provider of commoditized active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
WHO Members Urged To Support Resolution Delinking Cancer Drug Prices From R&D Costs 04/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments A group of civil society organisations and health experts have sent a letter to delegates to this month’s annual World Health Assembly urging support for a study on the delinkage of the costs of research and development from the prices of cancer medicines. Member states reportedly met on the issue today and are still undecided.
WHO Project To Prequalify Biosimilar Cancer Medicines Aims At Increased Affordability 04/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Health Organization announced today that it will launch a pilot project in 2017 for prequalifying cancer biosimilar medicines, with the intent of lowering prices on some of the most expensive cancer treatments.
New R&D Funding Model For TB, Antimicrobial Resistance 01/05/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Health Organization Bulletin this month has an article about the need for new models of research and development for tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance. The article describes a new funding framework called the 3P Project.
Licence For A New Hepatitis Treatment, With An Eye To Affordability 21/04/2017 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The Medicines Patent Pool has received a licence to develop ravidasvir, a new treatment for hepatitis C.
WHO: Hepatitis Death Toll Rising, Vaccination Works But Access To Tests And Medicines Still Issue 21/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Hepatitis-related mortality is on the rise, despite the existence of an efficient vaccine for hepatitis B and a cure for hepatitis C, according to the World Health Organization hepatitis report 2017 published today. One of the issues is that a majority of people are unaware of their condition due to limited access to affordable hepatitis testing. The price of the hepatitis C medicines has decreased in low-income countries, but still remains a barrier in upper-middle income and high-income countries, the WHO said.
Neglected Tropical Diseases: Gates Celebrates Industry Contribution, Chan Concurs 19/04/2017 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Five years after health institutions and actors including pharmaceutical companies endorsed the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases, meant to support the World Health Organization to control and eradicate 10 specific diseases by 2020, new commitments were announced today (18 April) in Geneva.