Intellectual Property
ACTA and changes in global norms for damages and injunctions (for enforcement of intellectual property)
Submitted by James Love on 31. July 2009 - 12:00The Obama Administration, with the support of a Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress, is insisting the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations be conducted in secret. We know, from documents obtained in Europe and the summaries released in April 2009, that the draft ACTA has sections that deal with both injunctions and damages. We don’t have the current text.
Broken promise by President Obama on parallel trade in pharmaceuticals
Submitted by James Love on 23. July 2009 - 22:00As candidates, almost all democrats have promised voters, in several elections, they will support parallel trade in pharmaceuticals from Canada and other high income countries. As elected officials, nothing happens. President Obama already has authority to permit imports of medicines, if he wanted to exercise it. But not only is the White House not fullfillinbg the promise to allow imports, it has promised the CEO of PhRMA and several big companies that they won’t allow parallel trade in the health reform bill.
Margaret Chan on “new initiatives, and new incentive schemes”
Submitted by thiru on 13. July 2009 - 22:00At the WIPO Conference on Intellectual Property and Public Policy Issues today, Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organization, made the following speech at WIPO’s Conference on Intellectual Property and Public Policy Issues on the topic of “Strengthening Multilateral Cooperation on IP and Public Health” where she shared the limelight with Pascal Lamy, Director General of the World Trade Organ
Jan 12-13, 2009. Patents, Copyrights and Knowledge Governance, the next four years
Submitted by Staff on 11. January 2009 - 23:00TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue, Washington, DC.
The TACD conference on Patents, Copyrights and Knowledge Governance: the next fours years is going to be held on January 12-13th, 2009 in Washington, DC.
Venue: Carnegie Institution of Washington • 1530 P Street NW • Washington, DC 20005
The event is free and is now open for registrations on the TACD website: http://www.tacd.org/events/patents_2009.htm
The Health Impact Fund and product monopolies
Submitted by James Love on 17. November 2008 - 11:00KEI will later issue a more detailed comment on the Health Impact Fund. One of the key issues that will be addressed is the way that Hollis and Pogge propose turning the prize fund proposals that are based upon open licensing of patents into something that reinforces the monopoly supply chain.
We understand that one motivation for doing this was to attract support from some large pharmaceutical companies, and the European governments that protect them.
November 13, 2008. KEI brownbag on US Priority Review Voucher
Submitted by Staff on 12. November 2008 - 23:00At KEI Washington, DC offices
US Priority Review Voucher
Time: 12:00pm-2:30pm, Thursday, 13 November 2008Knowledge Ecology International (formerly CPTech)1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500 (5th Floor)Washington DC, 20009
Tel: +1 202 332 2670
US Priority Review Voucher
Time: 12:00pm-2:30pm, Thursday, 13 November 2008Knowledge Ecology International (formerly CPTech)1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500 (5th Floor)Washington DC, 20009Tel: +1 202 332 2670
PARTICIPANTS
Aaron Kesselheim , Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University
David Ridley , The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University
James Love, KEI
Views on the 61st World Health Assembly adoption of Global Strategy on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property
Submitted by thiru on 2. June 2008 - 12:00On 24 May 2008, the 61st World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization’s highest governing body, adopted the Global Strategy on Public, Innovation and Intellectual Property. As stated by James Love (Director, Knowledge Ecology International) in his random-bits posting (31 May 2008)
Jon Santamauro, former US trade official now on BIO IGWG delegation
Submitted by thiru on 7. May 2008 - 11:15During the IGWG, BIO, the trade association, a group not yet in official relations with the WHO, was given the right to place four persons inside the closed drafting sessions. One of them was Jon Santamauro, who until recently was a US trade official on intellectual property issues.
“Mr. Santamauro has more than 15 years of experience handling intellectual property issues for the U.S. Government.”
Open licensing vs Monopoly Controlled Supply
Submitted by James Love on 27. April 2008 - 16:03One of the most important battles being waged both inside and outside of the IGWG concerns the nature of competition for the supply of inexpensive medicines and vaccines.
The large pharma companies with well-known brands and big marketing and distribution systems want to marginalize developing country generic suppliers, as actual or potential competitors. This plays out in various ways. For example:
Of Limitations, Exceptions and Verse (WIPO copyright committee)
Submitted by thiru on 3. April 2008 - 19:01Following the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) which for much of its existence has endeavored to unsuccessfully hammer out a Treaty for the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations has provided a window into the human condition replete with incidents of humor, frustration and hope.
