Original news and analysis on international IP policy
At the World Health Organization 135th Executive Board meeting this week, member states discussed improvements to cut down on lengthy World Health Assemblies, and adopted two reports for further discussion on surgical care and anaesthesia, and the health impact of air pollution.
The prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) stands high on the agenda of World Health Organization member countries, many of them said last week. Governments called for a multi-stakeholder approach to tackle the problem, governed by firm rules, and some asked for ways to regulate products that increase risk factors.
Faced with growing global concern over microbial resistance to antibiotic treatments, the World Health Assembly last week adopted a resolution to establish a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance.
The World Health Organization today (24 May) adopted a one-year plan to come up with a policy on engagement with “non-state actors” – industry, nongovernmental groups, foundations and academics.
World Health Organization members tonight approved a resolution aimed at improving access to essential medicines. Agreement came after a compromise on a proposed provision referencing other medicines that are not qualified as essential medicines.
World Health Organization members in committee today agreed on a plan taking forward efforts to find alternative financing for diseases predominantly afflicting poor populations. The draft decision was modified overnight to address concerns that the agreed path assess projects on…
World Health Organization members this week examined progress made in the ongoing reform of the UN agency. Members speaking in committee made firm requests for speedy implementation of reforms, and commended WHO’s efforts toward financial sustainability, with some cautions.
World Health Organization members today are expected to address a proposal on future efforts to find a solution to the longstanding problem of sustainable funding for research into diseases predominantly afflicting poor populations. An effort to close the topic yesterday was delayed when a proposal was put forward that named a WHO department as the potential host of the future activities on this issue.
A new draft decision putting action on a proposal for external actors' engagement with the World Health Organization on track for next year will be considered by a committee at the World Health Assembly.
Country officials, academics and leading global health advocates this week raised one of the key concerns of this year’s World Health Assembly: innovation and access to medicines in middle-income countries. Government procurement strategies, voluntary and compulsory licensing, de-linkage models and UNITAID mechanisms were among some of the solutions put forward.