Category Lobbying

Is Gates Foundation, WHO’s Biggest Private Funder, Ineligible To Join WHO?

As the World Health Organization Board prepares to consider candidate institutions to be admitted into official relations with the organisation, some health and public interest groups are raising alarm at what they see as a seeming lack of safeguard against conflicts of interest. Particular concern has been raised over admitting the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as an observer because of the Foundation trust’s investments in business ventures such as Coca-Cola, which they see as contrary to health goals. But the Gates Foundation, which is the biggest private donor to the WHO, said the trust is a separate entity from the foundation, and therefore does not represent any conflict of interest.

Groups Seek Assurance Of Affordable Zika Vaccine From US Army Exclusive Licence

A range of civil society organisations have issued a public statement opposing the United States Army’s proposed grant of an exclusive licence on technology necessary to produce a Zika vaccine to French pharmaceutical company Sanofi. The letter cites concerns that the exclusive licence might violate US law and could lead to high priced medicines as consumers buy back taxpayer-funded research.

Research Groups Seek Stronger Protections In EU Copyright Reform Proposal

European lawmakers should boost protections for researchers and educators in the European Commission proposal for a directive on copyright in the digital single market, five research organisations said today. Among other things, lawmakers and policymakers must rethink the provisions on text and data mining as well as the exception for use of works in digital and cross-border teaching, they said.

IP World Enters New Year With Major Shift Of People In Pharma, Copyright

As a new year dawns, a lot of movement has been observed in the pharmaceutical industry with new key players taking the lead. Meanwhile, new delegates are covering IP issues in Geneva, and coordination of regional groups at the World Intellectual Property Organization makes its usual yearly shift for 2017. The copyright industry also saw major changes, and law offices have been busy hiring new partners.

Podcast: ITIF’s Atkinson On Trade, Innovation, China In Trump’s Washington

A major shift is underway in Washington that is expected to have ramifications for global trade, innovation, and intellectual property enforcement, as Donald Trump steps into the United States presidency. IP-Watch caught up with Rob Atkinson, president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation to get his view on what's to come. Among the predictions: the Washington Consensus on trade gets turned on its head, enforcement will rise including at multilateral level, the US will have many new ideas but iPhones will not be made in the US, and a much-needed "reset" of the US policy on China will bring greater mutual respect - if done right.