WHO pandemic treaty negotiations: Walkthrough of conceptual zero draft for the consideration of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body at its third meeting

On 16 November 2022, the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (INB) released the conceptual zero draft in all six official languages… Continue Reading

SCP 34: WIPO patent committee charts a course for the examination of voluntary and compulsory licensing practices during the Covid-19 pandemic

On Friday, 30 September 2022, at the Geneva headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the 34th session of Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) adopted a future work plan for WIPO’s patent committee on patents and… Continue Reading

Informal, focused consultations (IFCs) on WHO’s pandemic treaty to address: 1) legal matters, 2) equity, 3) IP and access to pandemic response products, and 4) One Health, AMR, Climate and Zoonosis

As part of ongoing WHO negotiations on a pandemic treaty, the WHO secretariat is set to convene four informal, focused consultations (IFCs) on the following themes: 1) legal matters, 2) operationalizing and achieving equity, 3) intellectual property and access to… Continue Reading

7 July 2022: Human Rights Council adopts resolution on right to health resolution with references delinkage, solidarity, global public good, and the transfer of technology and know-how

On Thursday, 7 July 2022, the 40th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted, by consensus, a resolution on Access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of… Continue Reading

Human Rights Council heats up during informal talks on inequality, international solidarity, and intellectual property

UPDATE: On Monday, 4 July 2022, a revised version of the Core Group’s access to medicines, vaccines, and other health products resolution (A/HRC/50/L.13) was circulated. The current co-sponsors include: Argentina, Brazil, China, Ecuador,* Egypt,* India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay,… Continue Reading

Constituency statement for Knowledge Ecology International, Health Action International, Oxfam, and Public Services International: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies

On 24 May 2022, I delivered the following constituency statement on behalf of Knowledge Ecology International, Health Action International, Oxfam, and Public Services International on the following topic: “16.2 – Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies” at… Continue Reading

White smoke emerges from WHO negotiations on a resolution on Strengthening clinical trials to provide high-quality evidence on health interventions and to improve research quality and coordination

At around 10 PM on Friday evening, 20 May 2022, member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) negotiating on a resolution titled, Strengthening clinical trials to provide high-quality evidence on health interventions and to improve research quality and coordination,… Continue Reading