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No se trata solo de lo material: “El camino a seguir” para el CDB de la ONU, el PN y Half-Earth (mitad de la Tierra)

¿Es la información “algo” o es “sobre algo”? Esa es esencialmente la pregunta ante la Decimocuarta Conferencia de las Partes (COP) del Convenio de las Naciones Unidas sobre la Diversidad Biológica de 1992 (CBD) que se reunirá del 19 hasta el 27 de noviembre del 2018. La pregunta es de 64 mil millones de dólares. La respuesta podría determinar la modalidad para el “acceso a recursos genéticos“ y una “distribución justa y equitativa de los beneficios” (ABS, por sus siglas en inglés), que es el tercer objetivo plasmado en el CDB. De ser la información transmitida en la vida “algo“ en sí y no “sobre algo”, los beneficios podrían ser mayores por órdenes de magnitud. Dicho de otro modo, los usuarios de recursos genéticos ¿están accediendo a información? o ¿están accediendo a materia, cuyas propiedades están esparcidas entre organismos y jurisdicciones? Si la la respuesta es “información”, se justifica un pago anual de decenas de miles de millones de dólares. En cambio, si la respuesta es “propiedades” justifica las “migajas“que se pagan actualmente.

UAEM: In ‘Historic” Shift, Universities In Canada Adopt Licensing Promoting Access To Medicines

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) announced today that University of Calgary and McGill University are joining University of British Columbia in adopting Global Access Licensing Principles. These principles promote public access to publicly-funded medicines and life-saving health technologies developed in universities, according to a UAEM press release [pdf].

UN International Telecommunication Union Re-Elects Leadership For Another Four Years

Houlin Chao of China has been re-elected secretary-general of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, with Malcolm Johnson of the United Kingdom re-elected as deputy secretary-general. Chao ran unopposed and received 176 votes, while Johnson defeated an opponent by garnering 113 votes. And in one of several other posts, ITU hailed the election of the first woman to a leadership position in the agency's 153-year history.

Group Proposes Regulating Internet Hate Speech Through Decentralisation

French advocacy group La Quadrature du Net has declared recent French government plans to regulate internet hate speech insufficient, and is calling for more in-depth reforms. These could include the promotion of alternative social media platforms and a decentralised approach to regulation, according to an organisation press release.

Lurking In USMCA – IP Provisions With An International Agenda

Donald Trump is no fan of international norms or rules. He’s made this clear on numerous occasions, including during his two speeches at the United Nations. It is surprising, therefore, that one of the few international deals he has made as president – the recently announced treaty replacing NAFTA – contains IP provisions whose main purposes seem to be extending US rules overseas and establishing IP norms for future international agreements.

Interview With Catherine Chammartin, Director General Of The Swiss Federal Institute Of Intellectual Property

Catherine Chammartin is the Director of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI). A former specialist in international tax policy, she took office at IPI in November 2015. In an exclusive interview with Intellectual Property Watch's Catherine Saez, she explained the priorities of the office under her leadership, and the office's contribution to the success of Switzerland's innovation record.

New Report: Mitigating Patent Linkage To Promote Medicines Access In LMICs

A new report reviews how patent linkage mechanisms have been implemented in South Korea, Australia, Canada, and the United States, and identifies precedents for how low and middle-income countries (LMICs) can retain and exploit “constructive ambiguities” in trade treaty text to mitigate the impacts of patent linkage mechanisms and promote the timely availability of generic medicines.

Multi-Agency Conference Addresses Positive Aspects Of ‘Respect For IP’

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- Conference delegates at the Respect for IP international conference held in South Africa this week were participants in a series of top-level panel discussions about the conference theme that included views about balancing intellectual property’s economic value with achieving social development goals.

US Releases New Medicare Drug Plan To “Pay The Prices Other Countries Pay”

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has released a new plan intended to reduce drug prices for some patients on Medicare, based on an international pricing index model. In his announcement of the plan, President Trump said the US would save money “for our seniors by paying the prices other countries pay. Nothing special, just the prices that other countries pay.”