Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The date 20 June will mark the authorised end of Viagra’s patent in Brazil, following a 28 April decision of the Superior Court of Justice. Since the decision, five laboratories have requested registration for drugs that are generic versions of…
The World Health Organization today issued a briefing note attempting to offer a detailed explanation of its actions in relation to the 2009 H1N1 “swine” flu pandemic, amid charges that it overstated the problem to the benefit of the pharmaceutical…
Leading pharmaceutical industry groups announced today adoption of an agreement to submit for journal publication all results of late-stage clinical trials whether the outcomes were positive or negative. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) today approved a…
The 47-member Council of Europe wants to become an observer in the governmental advisory body of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and is pondering on a possible role as secretariat provider for the ICANN’s Governmental Advisory…
Anne Marie Worning, executive director of the director general’s office at the World Health Organization, will be adding direction of the WHO Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (PHI) division to her list of duties, sources revealed today. Worning, a…
UN members today announced a roadmap for global information and communications technology development with an emphasis on access to broadband high-speed internet and a range of online public services. But it appeared to steer clear of promoting local content development…
“Increasing generic medicine market penetration is the fastest way towards considerable and sustainable savings for healthcare systems in Europe” was the message of European Generics Association President Didier Barret to delegates at the group’s annual meeting, held in Rome on…
The US Patent and Trademark Office is seeking comments on a proposed new patent examination initiative aimed at providing applicants with greater control over the speed with which their applications are examined and promoting greater efficiency in the examination process.…
Today two separate search engines for intellectual property rights were announced in Geneva and Washington, DC, both of which have the potential to significantly ease searches for patents, trademarks and other IP. The World Intellectual Property Organization on 1 June…
The United States government has launched a new initiative it claims will monitor the impact of US federal science investments on employment, knowledge generation and health outcomes. The initiative is led by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation…
The new Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) will establish its office in Riga, Latvia, it has been announced. The regulatory body, berec.europa.eu, is made up of the heads of the 27 national telecommunications regulators and is assisted…
The stalled Doha Round trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization will become important again once the current economic stimuli wear off, Supachai Panitchpakdi, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), told members of the Association of…