Original news and analysis on international IP policy
The annual World Health Assembly being held this week has a rare chance to achieve a breakthrough on health research for the global poor if it can agree to move forward on a proposed convention, proponents said at a recent meeting.
The law of patents is being discussed this week at the World Intellectual Property Organization with a focus on the potentially difficult issues of limitations and exceptions, high quality patents, and patents related to public health.
World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan today opened the annual assembly of the UN agency’s member states with a positive outlook on the future of public health. At a time of economic uncertainty, she called on countries to be efficient in their spending, to take ownership of the health of their people, and to look toward innovative health solutions.
The escalating battle between Big Pharma and India’s generic drug manufacturers is pushing down medicine prices in one of the world’s fastest growing pharmaceutical markets.
On the eve of the World Health Assembly, the permanent mission of Brazil organised an informal meeting on sanitary regulation and how to improve cooperation among drug regulatory agencies. Major stakeholders were invited to present challenges and ongoing efforts to improve global quality, safety and efficacy of medical products.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2012 was hailed as a success at its closing ceremony today by the secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Yet sharp debates about the reluctance of the UN to hire an executive secretary for the Internet Governance Forum, the reluctance of the ITU to allow the global public to see and contribute to the coming International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR), and the need for a new UN platform for enhanced cooperation clearly illustrated that the global internet governance ship is cruising through rough seas.
International standards can help economic, societal and environmental issues, Rob Steele, secretary general of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), told a press briefing this week. The organisation also has interests in intellectual property protection.
BOSTON - Early stage innovation is still strong in the United States, but parties need to work better together and address bottlenecks in the middle stages, a panel of university and private sector experts said this week. Meanwhile, the president of global biotechnology company Genzyme said the industry is not in crisis and the company is hopeful about its recent merger with Sanofi.
An open letter was sent yesterday from 50 American legal academics encouraging members of the United States Senate Finance Committee to exercise their Constitutional responsibility to ensure that the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is treated as a binding international agreement requiring legislative ratification and sent to Senate for approval.
The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill currently in the in-tray of South African President Jacob Zuma and awaiting a signature, holds the hope that it will finally pave the way for the protection of the country's most famous red tea, Rooibos, as well as other local staples.