WHO Executive Board Agrees On Actions To Boost R&D, Access To Medicines

After long deliberations, the World Health Organization Executive Board agreed this morning to ask member states and the organisation to implement recommendations aiming at improving innovation and access to medicines. Three recommendations, specifically aimed at member states, including on the transparency on the cost of research and development of medicines, met resistance by some countries and were left hanging, to be discussed by member states with no timeframe.

CBD Issues Study On Challenges For Benefit-Sharing Of Digital Genetic Information

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity has issued the results of a fact-finding study on genetic resources digital genetic information. The study particularly examined terminology and how digital genetic information are influencing its protocol on access and benefit sharing of genetic resources. The study called for policymakers to stay abreast of the profound developments shaping research today, and underlined challenges such as the identification of contributors and users, the provenance of sequences, and what the study defined as a "grey area" between non-commercial and commercial research.

New Text Shows Progress Of Negotiation On IP And Access At WHO

The Brazilian ambassador and others this morning at the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting were not going to let go of what seemed to be a delaying tactic by the United States and Japan to postpone agreement on the implementation of measures aimed at facilitating research and development and access to medicines. The WHO Board today is considering a set of streamlined strategic measures on public health, innovation, and intellectual property.

WHO Board Shows Resolve In Tackling Shortages, Access To Medicines, Vaccines

The members of the World Health Organization Executive Board tonight (24 January) agreed to create a roadmap on global shortages of, and access to, medicines and vaccines. WHO members proclaimed the urgent need to address prices and availability of safe and efficient medicines and vaccines, some requesting the recently elected director general of the organisation to help find solutions.

ITU: 4 Of 5 People In LDCs Can Access Mobile Networks, But Are Not Using Internet

A new report by the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) shows "great strides" in mobile phone penetration in least-developed countries. However, those countries are well behind developed countries when it comes to internet usage.

WHO Members Set To Debate Transparency Of R&D Costs

World Health Organization Executive Board members and observer countries today are preparing to discuss recommendations on ways to lower prices and make medicines more accessible. This includes a new proposal to increase transparency in research and development costs that is reportedly causing concern among some developed countries.

New Project To Sequence Genes Of Amazon Biodiversity, Enforce Benefit Sharing, Announced At Davos

A new partnership announced at the World Economic Forum this week plans to sequence the genome of all biodiversity in the Amazon basin and make sure that benefits from the commercialisation of products derived from this mapping are fairly and equitably shared.

Three New Draft Proposals At WHO: Shortages, Snakebite, Assistive Technology

Three new draft proposals at the World Health Organization Executive Board this week underline the importance of access and affordability, whether it is vaccines and medicines, including antivenoms, or assistive technology. The draft resolutions call on member states as well as the WHO secretariat to urgently take action to facilitate access to products and technologies at affordable prices.