Category Health & IP

Indian Draft Pesticides Bill Contains TRIPS-Plus Data Exclusivity, Indian Pharma Says

India is considering legislation on pesticides containing data exclusivity provisions that would raise the level of intellectual property protection above the minimum required by international trade agreements and could act as a precursor for pharmaceutical products in the country, a leading Indian industry representative warned this week. India is sensitive to restrictions on the use of marketing data of patented pharmaceuticals as it is seen as the world leader in generic medicines, which use such data.

Catherine Saez
March 26, 2015
3 Comments

Open Source Model In Computers Should Be Applied To Genomic Data, Paper Says

Genomic data should be made publicly available for the promotion of science as a global public good, a new paper argues. Two researchers suggest that a model inspired by the open-source computer software movement should be developed for plant breeding, animal breeding, and biomedicine.

Catherine Saez
March 22, 2015

Redesign Of Ebola Treatment Units Draws 1500 Innovations, Including Locally

KAMPALA, UGANDA - In light of the persistence of the Ebola outbreak and the demands it has placed on global infection containment resources and processes, the United States government disaster response community recognised an opportunity to use open innovation to make significant strides in advancing the ability to combat Ebola. The results include a local success story.

Global Fund Publishes Terms Of Reference Of Equitable Access Initiative

An initiative spearheaded by the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to ensure equitable access to medicines in particular in middle-income countries now has a dedicated webpage publishing the terms of reference of the initiative. Also available is the list of high-level participants who attended the first meeting of the initiative held last week.

Catherine Saez
March 2, 2015

At EPO, Patent Oppositions To High-Priced Gilead Hepatitis C Drug Pile Up

According to a public health advocacy group, there are now as many as 10 oppositions filed at the European Patent Office against the Gilead company's patent on sofosbuvir, a treatment for hepatitis C. The group has compiled a table showing the filings with links to the documents.

William New
February 27, 2015

Why The Request By Least Developed Countries For An Extension Of The Transitional Period For Granting And Enforcing Medicines Patents Needs To Be Supported

Ellen 't Hoen writes: On 24 February 2015 Bangladesh on behalf of the 34 Least Developed Country members (LDCs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) submitted a request for an extension of the transitional period under article 66.1 TRIPS with respect to pharmaceutical products until the country is no longer classified as LDC.[1] The original extension, set to expire on 1st January 2016, specifically removes the obligation for LDCs to comply with Section 5 (Patents) and Section 7 (Protection of Undisclosed Information) of Part II of TRIPS, including any obligation to enforce rights under these provisions.

It is a little known fact that since the adoption of the 2001 Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, LDCs have frequently used the extension in day-to-day procurement of low cost generic medicines, in particular to access medicines needed for the treatment of HIV.

South Africa Awaits Patent Reforms With Hope, Concern

CAPE TOWN - South Africa’s new policy on patents could go to the Cabinet for approval soon, says Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF), one of the organisations spearheading the Fix the Patent Laws campaign in the country.

Munyaradzi Makoni
February 27, 2015
4 Comments

Ebola Crisis Has Severe Impact On AIDS Response In Sierra Leone, UNDP Report Says

According to an internal report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Fund Partnership team, the Ebola epidemic has virtually halted national HIV efforts in Sierra Leone. In particular, patients stopped their treatments and the supply chain was disrupted.

Catherine Saez
February 27, 2015

Tobacco Plain Packaging Discussion Lights Up Again At WTO

The issue of plain packaging for tobacco products as a health measure has been smouldering at the World Trade Organization since Australia decided to implement legislation requiring plain packaging in 2012. Now, as more countries seek to enact similar legal provisions, some tobacco producing countries continue to try to stub them out, including at the WTO intellectual property committee.

Catherine Saez
February 25, 2015
2 Comments

WTO Least-Developed Countries Request Waiver Of IP Rights On Pharma Products

This week at the World Trade Organization intellectual property committee meeting, least-developed countries submitted a request to extend a waiver allowing them not to enforce intellectual property rights on pharmaceutical products. The countries have extended the waiver before, but this time they are seeking to make it indefinite, until they are no longer considered LDCs.

Catherine Saez
February 25, 2015
13 Comments

New Quiet Initiative To Improve Drug Access In Middle-Income Countries, Change Country Classification System

This week a confidential high-level expert meeting was convened in Geneva to start work on a potential change in the country classification used by global health actors to remedy the growing problem of access to medicines in middle-income countries.

Catherine Saez
February 25, 2015
2 Comments

Medicines Patent Pool Nails Down Another Key Paediatric Drug

The Medicines Patent Pool today announced it has struck a licence with MSD, the North American-based Merck pharmaceutical company, to boost access to and innovation on raltegravir, a child-approved HIV medicine. The outcome is particularly significant because it opens options for very young children.

William New
February 24, 2015