Original news and analysis on international IP policy
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen and William New Following intensive consultations with member states in recent weeks, World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Kamil Idris has put forward names for the top positions at WIPO, including the proposal to replace…
A group of six developing countries led by India have submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) suggesting changes to international trade law to include specific requirements for disclosure of where biological material has been obtained from in…
Brazil has arguably the earth’s richest source of biological diversity, and it is fighting to get help at the international level to protect those natural resources from what it says is unfair exploitation through patents by companies and others in…
The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to speed up the process of electing a new director general and will meet in November to nominate a candidate who will be proposed to a special session of…
The World Health Assembly today agreed to establish an intergovernmental group to develop a global plan on research and development for diseases predominantly affecting developing countries. The agreement reflects a bridging of significant gaps between parties on the issue a…
The World Health Assembly today adopted a resolution that urges member states to improve coordination at the national level between international trade and public health, requesting the World Health Organization (WHO) to help its member states to do this. The…
A technical group at the World Health Assembly today agreed on a resolution that will increase the worldwide research and development focus on diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. Brazil and Kenya, which have been driving the issue, welcomed the…
The 59th World Health Assembly, taking place from 22-27 May followed by a meeting of the World Health Organization Executive Board, is addressing three resolutions related to intellectual property rights. These include a proposal to establish a working group to…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen and William New A drafting group at the UN World Health Assembly today suggested a possible merger of two key intellectual property resolutions, including the establishment a global strategy and plan of action for research…
By Tove Iren S. Gerhardsen and William New A technical committee of the World Health Assembly on 24 May decided to wait until the next day to set up a short-term working group on two draft intellectual property resolutions, which…
A key question among delegates, lobbyists and activists tracking intellectual property-related resolutions at this week’s World Health Assembly is what a proposed new research and development framework would look like. The assembly is addressing two intellectual property-related resolutions aimed at…
MADRID – At a recent conference here on patents and research it was suggested that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) would be a good forum in which to discuss certain aspects of the patent harmonisation process that…