Category Human Rights

WIPO Encourages Participation Of Women In Intellectual Property System

As the United Nations celebrated Women Day on 8 March, the World Intellectual Property Organization had an ongoing initiative to encourage women’s participation in a WIPO social media platform on technology and innovation.

Kaori Saito, gender and diversity specialist in the WIPO Human Resources Management Department, and Tomasz Liharewski, program officer, WIPO Global Infrastructure Sector, sat down this week with Intellectual Property Watch’s Catherine Saez to describe what the initiative was about and its outcome.

Catherine Saez
March 11, 2015
2 Comments

No, Democracy is Not Excess Baggage

There was quite some controversy at the 3-4 March 2015 UNESCO Connecting the Dots Conference regarding whether or not the term “democracy” should be included in the conference’s outcome statement to make it clear that internet governance must be democratic.

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

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

In 21st Century No One Should Die For Lack Of Access To Medicines, Participants At UN Forum Say

Last week’s 2015 Social Forum led by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called for urgent action to facilitate access to medicines. In particular, the functioning of the intellectual property system was put into question. A number of recommendations were drawn by the secretariat after having been identified by participants.

Catherine Saez
February 23, 2015

TRIPS In Question During Social Forum Discussion On Access To Medicines

Intellectual property rights are hindering access to medicines by maintaining monopolies and high prices, according to speakers at an annual United Nations forum on human rights last week. Flexibilities enshrined in the World Trade Organization intellectual property agreement are hampered by political and economical pressure, they said, and a new system should be devised for pharmaceutical products.

Catherine Saez
February 23, 2015

Geneva Climate Change Talks Conclude With Formal Negotiating Text

Following seven days of negotiations, 194 nations convened in Geneva agreed the negotiating text that is the basis for the accord they hope to reach in Paris at the end of 2015, to come into effect in 2020.

Elena Bourtchouladze
February 13, 2015