Category Venues

US Industry IP Index Released: US Advances, India Shows Leadership, EU, Singapore Near Top

The leading United States industry association yesterday released its annual International Intellectual Property Index, ranking countries on their progress in protecting US intellectual property rights. The ranks show the US advancing in the area of patent protection, while retaining the top overall score; India strengthening IP and charting a course for other developing countries; and EU countries dominating the higher scoring bracket with Singapore first on patent protection.

Pre-Grant Opposition Filed Against Janssen’s Bedaquiline Fumarate Application In India

Tuberculosis and its variant - Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) - are global public health emergencies. Current treatment regimens are expensive, tedious and prolonged: the overall treatment duration is 20 months or more, requiring daily administration of drugs that are more toxic and less effective than those used to treat drug-susceptible TB. Most of the drugs for treating TB are old and are known to have severe side-effects, writes Sandeep K. Rathod.

On Eve Of Lego Movie 2 Release, WIPO Acts To Block Pirated Version

As the blockbuster animated movie Lego Movie 2 gets set to hit screens in the United States this weekend, the World Intellectual Property Organization had a release of its own: a domain dispute ruling against a pirate website purporting to offer a free version of the film for download ahead of the release.

IP Still At Heart Of Access To Medicines Discussions At WHO

Intellectual property is often pointed at as hindering access to medicines by resulting in their long-lasting unaffordability, a view which is strongly opposed by IP proponents. The discussions on access to medicines last week during the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting yielded a record number of interventions by member states and nongovernmental organisations, reflecting the importance of the issue.

Trump Highlights IP, Trade, Drug Prices In Speech To Congress

President Donald Trump gave the US Congress a rosy, nationalistic presentation of the condition of the US economy and security last night and amid the range of issues raised, mentioned intellectual property twice in the context of trade, and extensively discussed lowering drug prices.

US IP Enforcement Coordinator Under Trump Asks, “What Can We Do Differently?”

The Trump administration is taking the US intellectual property enforcement coordinator's role in new directions, building on past administrations but trying to address ways it has not been effective in the past, according to the annual report of the coordinator, released yesterday.

TRIPS Debated As WHO Board Reaches Agreement On Universal Health Coverage

World Health Organization Board members agreed last week on a draft resolution for the preparation of a United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting on universal health coverage in the fall, following intensive closed consultations in which intellectual property rights played a significant role.

WHO Board Sceptical On Changes To Global Flu Framework, Sends Issue To WHA

The World Health Organization Executive Board last week remained uncertain on the way forward on questions of access to influenza viruses as countries are increasingly implementing an international protocol regulating the sharing of genetic resources. The Board requested informal discussions be held in the lead-up to the annual World Health Assembly in May.

WHO Governance Questioned As It Adds World Health Assembly Agenda Item On Biodiversity

The World Health Organization today admitted to an unusual procedure to set up a debate on the health implications of a UN treaty on sharing of benefits from genetic resources. The new agenda item proposed by the WHO director general was accepted by the WHO Board today, but with member states questioning the governance of the move.

Current R&D Causes High Prices In Drugs; New Model Needed To Make Drugs More Affordable, Speakers Say

BANGKOK – The current research and development model may encourage innovation in medicines, but has caused drugs to become unaffordable and inaccessible for people, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries, panellists and participants at a major conference here said.