Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The World Intellectual Property Organization committee on development closed last week with little to show after a week of unyielding opposing positions on every sensitive issue by several countries. Frustration was palpable as those issues were sent to the next session for further discussions, with the risk of renewed disagreement.
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.
The World Intellectual Property Organization Committee on Development and Intellectual Property finished a weeklong meeting yesterday having not achieved the week’s goals and with harsh words from delegates calling into question the very functioning of the organisation. At the heart…
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.
After several drafting sessions this week meant to finalise a framework to govern the engagement of the World Health Organization with the private sector, nongovernmental organisations, foundations and academics, country delegates admitted defeat today at the World Health Assembly.