Original news and analysis on international IP policy
International trade rules related to intellectual property rights enshrine the notion that there may be cases where exceptions to IP rights are needed by governments, such as sovereign decisions on a nation’s public health. Using those flexibilities could save millions of lives but may mean taking a tough stance in free trade negotiations with bigger trading partners, concluded a meeting of Asian stakeholders this week.
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.
Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors without Borders) announced today that it has named a new executive director of its Access to Medicines Campaign, a high-impact advocacy initiative on international public health issues in Geneva and elsewhere. Today was the last day for current Executive Director Tido von Schoen-Angerer, who completed two three-year terms in the role.
The Group of Eight (G8) industrialised countries recently met to discuss major challenges to the global economy, climate change, food security and nutrition, and political and security issues. And the commitments they made on intellectual property rights reflect their current thinking on the issue.
The shadow of the tobacco industry was present at last week’s annual World Health Assembly, featuring the villain in what World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan called a theatre of the absurd. The tactics of the "evil industry," as she called it, aimed at undermining countries' efforts to implement tobacco control legislations were illustrated with concrete country examples at a side event during the week.
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.
One year since the adoption of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, member states emphasised the importance of bio-sharing initiative and in some in cases raised concerns about the pace of implementation.
A full day and an evening of informal discussions was not enough for the World Intellectual Property Organization member states to reach agreement on the future work of the patent committee yesterday. Developed and developing countries held firm to their positions after reconvening in plenary past midnight, with disappointment as sole common ground.
World Health Organization member states have decided to establish a new mechanism for international collaboration to prevent and control “substandard, spurious, falsely-labelled, falsified and counterfeit medical products” (SSFFC). Excluding trade and intellectual property considerations, this mechanism is called to approach the problem strictly from a public health perspective.
A proposal at this week’s World Health Assembly to negotiate a binding convention on research and development for neglected diseases - those predominantly afflicting poor populations - ran into resistance from developed countries which hold the view that another approach might be possible. But an agreement was reached on a way forward for the expert report that recommended the binding convention.
The first global target on noncommunicable diseases has been gavelled through a World Health Assembly meeting. Member states have decided on a voluntary global target in reducing overall mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease.
The latest available documents of the closed-door meeting addressing recommendations on ways to finance neglected diseases largely afflicting developing countries show progress heading into this afternoon's session. They reflect efforts to agree on how to take the process forward, including agreement reached last night on putting the issue to regional groups later this year.