Access to Medicine
WIPO General Assembly 2022: General statement of Knowledge Ecology International
On Friday, 15 July 2022 Knowledge Ecology International delivered the following opening statement at the 2022 WIPO General Assembly. The COVID pandemic illustrates flaws in the intellectual property system. In a public health crisis, no company should have a monopoly… Continue Reading
KEI letter to Roche requesting voluntary license to patents on risdiplam, a treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
This is a letter to Roche requesting a voluntary license to the patents on risdiplam, a treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). KEI-Risdiplan-patent-license-request-8july2022 This was the August 5, 2022 response from Roche. Roche-Response-to-Risdiplam-license-request–5Aug2022 KEI wrote to Roche again on February… Continue Reading
Treatments
risdiplam
Risdiplam, originally developed under contract with the SMA Foundation by PTC Therapeutics and licensed to Roche for sale under the brand name Evrysdi, is a medication used to treat spinal muscular atrophy and the first oral medication approved to treat… 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
President Biden announces agreement between the NIH and the WHO Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP)
The announcement was made by President Biden at the Global COVID-19 Pandemic Summit. KEI Statement on the NIH/C-TAP licenses Following an earlier promise from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the NIH has entered into two licenses with the WHO COVID-19 Technology… Continue Reading
NIH Questioned about Xtandi and March-in Rights during Congressional Hearing
On Wednesday May 11, 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was asked about Xtandi and march-in rights during a Congressional hearing. The House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the FY2023 Budget Request for the NIH, and Representative Mark… Continue Reading