Category Language

New Text Shows Progress Of Negotiation On IP And Access At WHO

The Brazilian ambassador and others this morning at the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting were not going to let go of what seemed to be a delaying tactic by the United States and Japan to postpone agreement on the implementation of measures aimed at facilitating research and development and access to medicines. The WHO Board today is considering a set of streamlined strategic measures on public health, innovation, and intellectual property.

WHO Board Shows Resolve In Tackling Shortages, Access To Medicines, Vaccines

The members of the World Health Organization Executive Board tonight (24 January) agreed to create a roadmap on global shortages of, and access to, medicines and vaccines. WHO members proclaimed the urgent need to address prices and availability of safe and efficient medicines and vaccines, some requesting the recently elected director general of the organisation to help find solutions.

WHO Members Set To Debate Transparency Of R&D Costs

World Health Organization Executive Board members and observer countries today are preparing to discuss recommendations on ways to lower prices and make medicines more accessible. This includes a new proposal to increase transparency in research and development costs that is reportedly causing concern among some developed countries.

Three New Draft Proposals At WHO: Shortages, Snakebite, Assistive Technology

Three new draft proposals at the World Health Organization Executive Board this week underline the importance of access and affordability, whether it is vaccines and medicines, including antivenoms, or assistive technology. The draft resolutions call on member states as well as the WHO secretariat to urgently take action to facilitate access to products and technologies at affordable prices.

New WHO Director Calls On Board To Join In “Intensive” Period Of Change

All human beings should receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship, such is the definition of universal health coverage, a key point of discussion at the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting this week. New WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr Tedros) opened the event by presenting his vision for the future, and the collective work to accomplish necessary changes to the UN health agency. The European Union and United States warned against politicisation of the WHO.

US Working To Block UN High-Level Panel On Access To Medicines Ideas In Geneva And Capitals

The United States, possibly working with like-minded countries, is working to prevent the further spread among international organisations in Geneva of recommendations put forward by the 2016 United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, considering them to be ideological driven and dangerous to economic growth. The comments were made by a US official speaking to a recent US industry event in Washington DC involving many of the US intellectual property attachès, at which two attachés from Geneva described latest developments and strategy for the coming year. A key message from attachès to industry: come to Geneva and engage, starting with this week’s Executive Board meeting at the World Health Organization.

Julia Reda-Led Panel Discussion Reveals – Publishers’ Right Faces High Resistance From Academic Circles

The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament organised last autumn the panel discussion titled, “Better Regulation for Copyright: Academics Meet Policy Makers” in Brussels. This is an initiative that together with a recently published study questions whether national and EU neighbouring rights for publishers are actually lawful. The article below gives an overview of the panel discussion and movements that followed in the legislative process in Brussels, with a special focus on the press publishers right, writes Ines Duhanic.