Original news and analysis on international IP policy
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Following a promise made at the beginning of his tenure to meet with the press regularly, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr Tedros) held a press conference today to paint a picture of what has been done under his leadership for the last seven months. He highlighted the establishment of the WHO General Programme of Work for 2019-2023, the quest for a new resource mobilisation strategy, measures taken on emergencies, and the push for universal health coverage. He also answered questions about the WHO nomination of President Mugabe that was cut short, and an appointment in his leadership team.
A consortium including the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative has launched a groundbreaking open source drug discovery project as way to find new drugs to treat mycetoma, a "devastating disease for which current treatments are ineffective, expensive, and toxic," the group said.
A newly leaked 2016 letter from the CEO of Novartis to the president of Colombia, made available by Swiss group Public Eye, shows the level of concern the Swiss pharmaceutical company had over the effect of possible issuance of a compulsory licence for Novartis drug Glivec in the pivotal South American economy.
BERN, Switzerland -- What if reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on access to health for all depended on the willingness of all actors to see beyond outdated dichotomies? The concept may seem obvious, but is easier described than done. In an effort to break silos, the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) brought together stakeholders of all sides last week to discuss how to harness political and economic will to achieve innovation leading to new medicines that are available and affordable for all in need.
By a vote of 94-0, the United States Senate on 5 February confirmed California intellectual property litigator Andrei Iancu as next director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The new Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property is currently managing partner of Irell & Manella LLP’s Los Angeles firm. The patent and trademark communities wished Iancu luck but said there are many issues at the agency that need his attention.
Vaccination will help prevent some 24 million people from falling into poverty by 2030 in addition to saving millions of lives, shows a new study co-authored by Harvard University and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Mirza Alas of the intergovernmental South Centre has published an analysis of the World Health Organization Executive Board approval of a draft resolution on actions toward ending tuberculosis and how it relates to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The opening paragraphs and a link to the original are provided below.
The International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association has launched an information campaign on biosimilar medicines in order to raise worldwide understanding and acceptance of biosimilar medicines.
The protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge through the intellectual property system has been discussed for many years at the World Intellectual Property Organization. While delegates are working on potential international instruments to provide such protection, the WIPO Traditional Knowledge Division is involved in technical assistance and capacity building, providing information and issuing publications.
The engagement of actors such as industry, civil society, philanthropy and academia with the World Health Organization has been a subject of controversy, with some of those actors being potentially able to influence the work of the organisation. A framework for engagement with those stakeholders was agreed two years ago. At last week's Executive Board meeting, the new WHO director general explained that engagement with those actors, and notably industry, is worth the risk, which he said can be managed.
The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) yesterday announced the release of a new strategy on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).