June 2015: WTO reports on India’s Section 3(d) and compulsory licensing provisions – WTO Trade Policy Review – India

On 2 June 2015 and 4 June 2015, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is conducting a trade policy review of India. All members of the WTO are subject to review under the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The TPRM takes place in the “Trade Policy Review Body which is actually the WTO General Council — comprising the WTO’s full membership — operating under special rules and procedures” (Source: WTO, Trade Policy Reviews: Brief Introduction).

Continue Reading

WHA68: Statement of HAI/KEI on Follow-up to 2014 HLM on comprehensive review + assessment of prevention and control of NCDs

On Tuesday, 26 May 2015, the following statement was delivered in Committee B of the 68th World Health Assembly on behalf of Stichting Health Action International and Knowledge Ecology International on the topic: Follow-up to the 2014 high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to undertake a comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.

Uncategorized

May 21, 2015- Agenda for KEI/KEI Europe panel on Compulsory licensing of patents on drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests

Panel discussion
Compulsory licensing of patents on drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and Knowledge Ecology International Europe (KEI Europe):

DATE: Thursday, 21 May 2015
TIME: 17:30-19:00
VENUE: Kofi Annan Room, UNAIDS, Avenue Appia 20

Moderator:

  • Ellen ‘t Hoen, Medicines, Law and Policy

Panel members

Uncategorized

WHA68: Greek Minister of Health – Panagiotis Kouroumplis – calls for de-linkage of R&D from the price of health technologies

On Monday, 18 May 2015, the Greek Minister of Health, Panagiotis Kouroumplis, delivered the following speech at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, explicitly calling for the de-linkage of the “cost of R&D from the final price of medicines” while highlighting the deleterious effects of austerity measures eroding public health systems, counter to the theme of WHA68, “Resilient Health Systems”.

Here is his speech in full:

Madam Director General, dear colleagues, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

WIPO CDIP 15: Statement of Brazil on evaluation of the Project on Open Collaborative Projects and IP-Based Models

On Tuesday, 21 April 2015, the 15th session of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) considered the Evaluation Report for the Project on Open Collaborative Projects and IP-Based Models (CDIP/15/3). This project on open collaborate development models is based on Recommendation 36 of the WIPO which states,

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

KEI statement to WHO 20th Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) will present the following statement on 20 April 2015 to the Open Session of the 20th Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines.

Statement of Knowledge Ecology International: WHO 20th Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, with specific focus on expanding access to new cancer drugs, when available at affordable prices

20 April 2015

Dear members of the WHO Expert Committee and the WHO secretariat,

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

TRIPS Council (October 2014): India calls for de-linkage and innovation inducement prizes at WTO discussions on IP & innovation

In advance of the World Trade Organization’s October 2014 session of the TRIPS Council, the European Union, Switzerland and the United States made a written request to the TRIPS Council to discuss “Intellectual Property and Innovation: Promoting Awareness; Case Studies” under agenda item 12. This marked the 7th time that the United States tabled an item to the TRIPS Council relating to intellectual property or innovation.

In the context of these October 2014 discussions of Intellectual Property and Innovation, the Government of India delivered the following intervention asserting that,

Continue Reading

HRC28: Statement of the European Union- Cultural Rights (Response to SR Report on Copyright and Right to Science and Culture)

On Wednesday, 11 March 2015, Oliver Hall-Allen, First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office in Geneva delivered the following statement in response to the presentation of the Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights (Farida Shaheed) on her Report on Copyright policy and the right to science and culture (A/HRC/28/57).

EUOliverEEAS.jpg
Oliver Hall-Allen (blue tie, white shirt), First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office in Geneva

Continue Reading

Uncategorized