Below you will find a collection of articles in the press and commentary by KEI relating to the request for LDC patent exemption on pharmaceutical products at the WTO.
KEI commentary
- October 14, 2015. Senator Sherrod Brown letter to USTR, supporting permanent waiver of WTO drug patent rules for LDCs
- October 12, 2015. US, AU and CA try to block WTO LDC drug patent waiver because PhRMA’s not happy enough with the TPP
- October 12, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (October 2015) to discuss LDC extension for pharmaceuticals, non-violation, review of the Paragraph 6 system
- October 2, 2015. Seven Members of House of Representatives Send Letter to USTR Calling For Waiver of WTO Patent Rules for LDCs
- September 28, 2015. Senator Bernie Sanders Asks USTR to Endorse Waiver of WTO Patent Rules for Least Developed Countries
- September 22, 2015. KEI urges investigation of trade pressures on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in light of Executive Order 13155
- September 17, 2015. Elizabeth Rajasingh. KEI Briefing Note. 2015:3 Comparison of key indicators between LDC, NonLDC and OECD countries. (Data from World Bank, notes on sources for data in annex)
- September 16, 2015. Joint NGO letter to USTR and USPTO: What is the US Position on LDC Pharmaceutical Extension of TRIPS Transition Period?
- September 11, 2015. European Commission supports indefinite exemption for LDCs from WTO IP rules for pharmaceuticals
- July 16, 2015. EU Trade Commissioner Backs LDC Request for TRIPS Exemption for Pharmaceuticals Until Graduation from LDC Status
- June 17, 2015. TRIPS Council June 2015: Norway provides unequivocal support of LDC Group request for extension of the transition period
- June 3, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): EU statement on LDC extension of transition period for pharmaceutical products
- June 10, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (June 2015): LDC Group Presentation on the Extension of the Decision for Pharmaceutical Products
- June 10, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council: World Health Organization issues unequivocal support of LDC transition period for pharmaceutical products
- February 25, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): Bangladesh statement (on behalf of LDC Group)- Extension of the 2016 transitional period
- February 25, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): LDC Group statement on Non-Violation and Situation Complaints
- February 24, 2015. WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): LDC request for extension of the transitional period for pharmaceutical products
News reports:
- October 17, 2015. IP Watch. William New. WTO IP Committee Suspended Over LDC Extension.
- October 15, 2015. Politico Pro. Adam Behsudi. Drug fight moves from TPP to WTO.
- October 14, 2015. RAPS. Zachary Brennan. US, EU Face Off Over Permanently Exempting Least-Developed Countries from Pharma Patents.
- October 13, 2015. Pink Sheet. Brenda Sandburg. Global Patents: Poorest Countries Seek Permanent Waiver; PhRMA Wants Time Limit.
- October 13, 2015. TechDirt. Mike Masnick. US, Australia & Canada Decide Screw Over Poor Nations Because Big Pharma’s Not Happy With TPP.
- October 13, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. WTO TRIPS Council To Decide On LDC Pharma Extension, Non-Violation Complaints.
- October 9, 2015. Real Clear Policy. Thomas A. Hemphill. Should Drug Patents Apply in Poor Countries? Real Clear Policy.
- October 8, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. “No Human Right To Patent Protection,” Says UN Rapporteur On Cultural Rights.
- October 7, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. At WTO, Governments, Health Advocates See Benefit From TRIPS; LDC Waiver Urged.
- September 29, 2015. The Huffington Post. Zach Carter, Bernie Sanders Calls Out Obama Team On Global Drug Prices.
- September 29, 2015. Pharmalot. Ed Silverman. Is the U.S. Trying to Thwart Poor Countries From Gaining Access to Medicines?
- September 18, 2015. Bridges Africa. ICTSD. EU calls for indefinite extension of WTO TRIPS waiver on pharma products for LDCs.
- September 18, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. What Does WTO Extension For LDCs To Enforce IP Mean For Pharmaceuticals?
- June 11, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. LDC Pharma Extension Request At WTO Yields Support But Needs Further Discussion.
- June 8, 2015. IP Watch. William New. TRIPS Council To Discuss LDC Waiver Extension, Innovation This Week.
- May 29, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. 140+ NGOs Urge WTO Members To Grant Extension Of LDC Pharma Waiver.
- May 22, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. Two UN Agencies Come Out In Support Of Extension Of TRIPS LDC Waiver.
- May 1, 2015. IP Watch. Catherine Saez. Industry Asks For Clarity On LDC Request To Extend TRIPS Pharma Waiver.
- March 31, 2015. Maasranga Televsion. Patent Waiver in pharmaceuticals: LDC Case.
- March 5, 2015. Bridges Africa. ICTSD. Least developed countries table WTO proposal to extend pharma patents transition period, waiver.
Other NGO commentary:
- Third World Network. October 16, 2015. Sangeeta Shashikant. TWN Info: US stands in the way of LDCs’ pharmaceutical transition period.
- Third World Network. June 2015. Kanaga Raja. CSOs urge support for LDC request on pharmaceuticals exemption. Third World Economics, Issue No. 594, 1-15 Jun 2015, pp10-11, 16.
- AIDS Healthcare Foundation. October 15, 2015. AHF Endorses Sen. Sanders’ Call on US & World Trade Organization to Back Waiver of Drug Patents in Poor Countries.
- Chase Perfect. October 14, 2015. Under Threat: Access to Medicines in LDC’s .
- MSF. October 12, 2015. Access to affordable generic medicines for world’s poorest countries under threat
- MSF. September 10, 2015. MSF response to EC announcement on LDC extension on WTO IP rules
- Health Gap. October 12, 2015. Brook K. Baker. LDCs Be Damned: USTR and Big Pharma seeks to eviscerate Least Developed Countries’ Insulation From Pharmaceutical Monopolies.
- Health Gap. September 7, 2015. Brook K. Baker. Will U.S. create barriers to LDCs’ future access to medicines?
- Health Gap. February 25, 2015. Brook K. Baker. LDC Members’ Entitlement to and Need for a Further Extension of Their Pharmaceutical Transition Period.
- LDC Watch. June 9, 2015. Letter to US Trade Representative on WTO LDC Group’s Request for Pharmaceutical Waiver Extension.
- June 5, 2015. Civil Society Letter to Members of the World Trade Organization. Request by Least Developed Country Members for an Extension of the Transitional Period with Respect to Pharmaceutical Products and for Waivers from the Obligation of Articles 70.8 and 70.9 of the TRIPS Agreement.
Governments, Donors:
- UNAIDS. May 21, 2015. UNDP and UNAIDS back efforts by least-developed countries to secure sustainable access to treatment.
- WTO TRIPS Council: World Health Organization issues unequivocal support of LDC transition period for pharmaceutical products, June 10, 2015. /node/2244
- European Commission. September 10, 2015. European Commission supports better access to medicines in poorest countries.
- European Commission. Brussels, 10.9.2015, COM(2015) 426 final, 2015/0190 (NLE). Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council for TRIPS and the General Council of the World Trade Organisation as regards the request from least developed country members for an extension of the transitional period under Article 66(1) of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights concerning certain obligations related to pharmaceutical products, and for a waiver from the obligations under Article 70(8) and (9) of that Agreement.
- Holy See. June 10,2015. Intervention by the Holly See at the WTO. Statement by H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.
- IDA. March 26, 2015. LDC support letter from Ambassador Ahsa.
Industry positions: