Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The accessibility and affordability of drugs in developing countries depend on robust generic competition and would benefit from greater transparency in the terms and conditions of licensing agreements, the acting head of the Medicines Patent Pool said on a panel at the World Intellectual Property Organization that included a speaker from the Indian generics industry and a representative of Gilead Sciences.
From government appointments and committee creations to key additions in the non-profit sector and industry advocacy’s revolving door, we’ve kept up with all of the latest hires, resignations, retirements and promotions over the past few months so you don’t miss a beat. Check out who you need to know.
The United Kingdom government has done a “considerable amount” of high-grade policy development work in the year since publication of a key report on the health of its intellectual property regime but must move faster, the Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee said on 27 June. It strongly criticised Britain's approach to the controversial proposal for a unified EU patents.
It’s been called a patent war, and it’s raging over much of the globe. In at least ten countries - including the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and South Korea - Apple is locked in ferocious legal battles against Google, Samsung and HTC over whose smartphones and tablets infringe whose patents.
There’s a lot a stake: Damages could run into billions of dollars. Even worse, the loser could wind up being forbidden to sell its products in various markets.
This costly, high-stakes global patent war may seem unprecedented. But according to many experts, that’s only partly true. In many ways, this patent war is similar to major patent disputes in the past. And it is likely a foretaste of more patent wars in the future.
A draft of the outcome document for this week’s Rio+20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said to be close to the final version, shows where governments have placed their focus. It appears that technology transfer is well-recognised, intellectual property rights to a lesser extent, but firm actions in these areas may still be to come.
The music industry often claims that unauthorised file sharing online is ripping off artists and the economy to the tune of billions of dollars. Although such file-sharing is impacting sales, the losses are grossly overestimated by industry, according to a professor speaking last week at the World Intellectual Property Organization, who also said illegal downloading could prompt untapped markets for complementary products and services.
A World Trade Organization review of China’s trade policy includes assessments of the country’s progress on adopting - and becoming a leader of - the global intellectual property rights system.
Intellectual property enforcement was discussed at yesterday’s session of the World Trade Organization council on IP-related issues in two different contexts, both involving the United States. Cuba complained about the US failure to comply with a 10-year-old ruling on a Cuban rum brand name, and the US added an agenda item on enforcement against counterfeit goods, both of which created some stir.
Compulsory licences can provide an efficient way to decrease prices of drugs in developing countries but the conditions of issuance of a licence influence the benefits countries can derive from them, particularly if the countries have a technology gap, according to an economic model presented this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
With a generous pledge and a grand vision, Bill Gates launched the “Decade of Vaccines” two years ago. By endorsing a “Global Vaccine Action Plan” during the World Health Assembly, the world’s health authority stands as the lead agency in advancing the initiative.
The United States and China will hold early next week what is becoming the largest bilateral programme between their courts in the area of intellectual property adjudication. Set to gather more than a thousand participants, the discussions will largely revolve around patent litigation, according to a top US judge.
The law of patents is being discussed this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization with a focus on the potentially difficult issues of limitations and exceptions, high quality patents, and patents related to public health.