UN Claims Victory In Biodiversity Talks, But Outcome Not Certain

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity last month hailed Cali, Colombia as the birthplace of a protocol they hope will lead to an international regime on access and benefit-sharing by their October 2010 deadline. But, while it is clear the late March negotiation in Cali brought significant progress, participants reported difficult disagreements and in the final days, signs that there is yet more work to be done.

ITU In A Converging World — Interview With ITU Strategist Alexander Ntoko

The International Telecommunication Union, based in Geneva, is a 191-member United Nations body. Intellectual Property Watch recently spoke with Alexander Ntoko, a top strategist in the organisation about priorities in this critical year, inclusion of the public interest, and how convergence is bringing more issues related to digital content to the traditional telecom body.

Risk Of Wrongful Medicines Seizures Seen In EU-Central America Trade Deal

A new accord designed to bolster political and economic ties between the European Union and Central America could result in greater seizures of medicines whenever pharmaceutical companies allege that their patents have been infringed, public health advocates have warned.

Débat houleux lors d’une réunion d’information organisée par l’OMS sur les médicaments contrefaits

Alors que l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) continue de travailler sur la question des médicaments contrefaits, une réunion organisée en fin de semaine dernière a révélé des inquiétudes quant à la manière dont ce travail est mené.

Unbiased HIV Patent Pool — A Free-Market, Middle-Income Countries Open Model

Brand name pharmaceutical companies’ concerns about profit losses related to the UNITAID patent pool might undermine access to newer and appropriate HIV medicine formulations in resource-limited settings. A universally agreed strategy to supplement UNITAID plan is therefore needed, writes Daniele Dionisio.