Original news and analysis on international IP policy
On the second day of this week's annual World Health Assembly, delegates began discussing the issue of “shortages of, and access to, medicines and vaccines.” It is generally held that access to safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines is of paramount importance to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, but there seems to be no expeditious solution, and no lack of divergent views on how to get there.
Countries, organisations and foundations came together today alongside the annual World Health Assembly to launch the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Development Hub (Global AMR R&D Hub).
For the second year in a row, Taiwan has not been invited to participate as an observer at the World Health Assembly taking place this week. Political dissent with China borne out of a change of government in Taiwan now refusing to recognise the “One China” principle resulted in Taiwan being left out of the World Health Organization. At the opening of the Assembly, several countries supported Taiwan, including the United States.
O sistema de patentes foi supostamente projetado para permitir a recuperação do investimento em pesquisa e desenvolvimento (P&D) de um novo produto, através da venda sob exclusividade por um período de tempo. Vários estudos relacionaram preços altos de medicamentos à situação de monopólio estabelecida pelo sistema de patentes e outros direitos de monopólio (como a exclusividade de dados). É bastante estabelecido que a existência de uma patente pode levar a preços altos devido à condição de mercado em que um produtor pode operar com exclusividade. Vários estudos relacionaram preços elevados de medicamentos à situação de monopólio estabelecida pelo sistema de patentes e outros direitos de monopólio (como a exclusividade de dados). Na ausência de concorrência, um produtor pode cobrar praticamente qualquer preço pelo seu produto. A concorrência, portanto, pode promover uma redução significativa de preços e aumentar o acesso.
Over the past few months, US officials ranging from PTO Director Andrei Iancu to a number of Congressional members, most recently Rep. Kelly (Illinois-2), have cited to the Chamber of Commerce’s ranking of intellectual property systems, which has dropped the US patent system from 1st in the world to 12th. They cite the rankings as evidence that the US patent system is in urgent need of review.
Unfortunately, the rankings are based on misinterpretations and falsehoods. These are worth noting ahead of a House Judiciary hearing Tuesday with Iancu testifying.
World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (“Dr Tedros”) in his first speech in his function at head of the World Health Assembly described three keys to reach the ambitious goals of the organisation. He envisioned a transformed WHO helped by a strong leadership team, called for political commitment for which he said most country leaders are ready, and advocated partnerships with a number of international health actors, including the private sector.
As the annual World Health Assembly opened today, a global initiative for sharing influenza genetic data celebrated its tenth anniversary and announced new senior advisors for international affairs and biosecurity issues, one of which is Marie-Paule Kieny, former World Health Organization Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation.
In an age where emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for the good of humanity is increasing, last week’s AI for Good Global Summit at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) brought leading experts together to demonstrate the multidimensionality of AI in emergency response and outbreaks, as well as in risk reduction.
On 1 April 2013, in a packed room inside India’s Supreme Court, a magnificent building in Indo-British architectural style, two judges delivered a verdict that impacted the national and global conversation about patents and patients. India’s apex court delivered a 112-page landmark judgement which dismissed Swiss pharma giant Novartis AG’s appeal for a patent for its life-saving cancer drug marketed under brand name Glivec in most parts of the world. The Novartis case triggered a hugely polarising discourse around the world about a key feature of India’s patent regime.
In the wake of the annual intellectual property day this year focusing on women, the World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and IP this week agreed to discuss women and IP at its next session, as the first topic under a new agenda. The committee also agreed to a new project on the role of women in innovation. In other areas, more discussions are foreseen on whether regular international conferences on IP and development can be approved, and on recommendations by an independent expert group on the implementation of the WIPO Development Agenda.