Asian Voices On Access to Medicines: Scrap TRIPS, Voluntary Licences Not Working, FTA Threats 18/03/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Speakers from Asian civil society provided recommendations to the public hearing of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines held yesterday. They underlined the unaffordability of medicines in their countries, the inefficiency of current mechanisms such as voluntary licensing, and the pressure applied by pharmaceutical companies and the United States and Europe to prevent the use of compulsory licences. One speaker warned against the expert advice given by the World Intellectual Property Organization to least-developed countries, while others pointed to stringent intellectual property measures in free-trade agreements.
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.
Ukraine To Amend Customs Code, Ratify Amendments To TRIPS 16/03/2016 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Ukrainian Parliament is currently drafting an amended Customs Code to introduce a number of changes to the country’s intellectual property legislation. Moreover, in mid-March, local lawmakers authorised Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko to ratify the protocol amending the TRIPS agreement which enables increased exports of pharmaceuticals produced under compulsory licences to countries which are not capable of manufacturing them locally.
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.
China’s Pharmaceutical Sector And The IP Puzzle 15/03/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Despite impressive growth, the pharmaceutical sector in China still relies on generic drug production since the majority of domestic companies cannot compete with country-based foreign corporations. Currently, following WTO pressure to oblige China to comply with IP regulations, more and more patented drugs are entering the market. Unfortunately, in spite of a newly introduced IP friendly bill, a puzzling situation persists, writes Pietro Dionisio.
EPO Union Presses Management To Reverse President’s Disciplinary Actions 14/03/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments The stand-off between European Patent Office President Benoît Battistelli and the Office’s largest staff union continues this week with a 16 March SUEPO demonstration planned during a meeting of the Office’s Administrative Council (AC), which supervises the EPO’s activities.
ETSI Officials Say IPR Policy A Foundation Of Successful Telecoms Standards 14/03/2016 by Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Standards developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute for industries such as the mobile communications sector are underlain by an intellectual property rights policy that has proved successful for many years, ETSI officials said at an 11 March Oxfirst webinar.
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.