Access to Medicine
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
Moderna Claims Compulsory License from U.S. Government to Use Third Party Patents in its Covid-19 Vaccine
A legal brief filed by Moderna, Inc. (“Moderna”) on May 6, 2022 argues that 28 U.S.C. § 1498(a) immunizes the company from liability if it infringes on any third-party patents involved in the manufacture of its Covid-19 vaccine (marketed as… Continue Reading
KEI Comments Regarding NIH Prospective Exclusive License to Georgetown University for Pancreatic Cancer Diagnostic
On April 28, 2022, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) provided comments on the latest National Institutes of Health (NIH) Federal Register notice concerning licensing, the “Prospective Grant of an Exclusive Patent License: Development of Diagnostic for Imaging and Early Detection of… Continue Reading
Amicus Brief of Professor Brook Baker on the human right principles and TRIPS-compliant interpretation of the compulsory license petition filed by KEI in the Dominican Republic
Last week, Professor Brook Baker filed an Amicus Brief responding to four of the arguments made by Pfizer against the compulsory license requested by KEI in the Dominican Republic to allow the distribution of the generic version of Paxlovid. His… Continue Reading