Access to Medicine

Chilean Cámara de Diputados votes overwhelmingly to advance compulsory licensing of drug patents.

Posted on by Andrew Goldman

GiorgioJacksonChile.jpgThe Cámara de Diputados of the Chilean Congress voted on January 25, 2017 in favor of Resolution 798, calling on the government to implement compulsory licenses on drugs for cancer and other diseases. The vote was 67 yes, 0 no, and 32 abstentions. The resolution was put forward by Giorgio Jackson and six other members (V. Mirosevic, Miguel Alvarado, Karla Rubilar, Juan Luis Castro, Gabriel Boric, and Victor Torres). Continue Reading →

EB140: Statement of India on the Report of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines

Posted on by Thiru

On the morning of Monday, 23 January 2017, India delivered the following intervention at the 140th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board requesting the “explicit inclusion” of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel Report in the “provisional agenda of the EB140 as a separate agenda item under item 8.”

In making the case for the inclusion of the UN HLP in the WHO’s Executive Board deliberations, India articulate the following:

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Spinraza: KEI asks DHHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to investigate a failure to disclose federal funding in patents

Posted on by James Love

KEI has asked the DHHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) to investigate a failure to disclose federal funding of patents on nusinersen, a drug developed by Ionis Pharmaceuticals (formerly known as Isis Pharmacetuicals) with BioGen, and sold under the trade name Spinraza.

A copy of the 22 page letter to OIG is available here.

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SCP25: Closing Statement of the Republic of South Africa

Posted on by Thiru

On Thursday, 15 December 2016, South Africa delivered this poignant, closing statement at WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP). Negotiations broke down on the issue of future work, as the European Union and Group B refused to permit discussions of the Report of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines at future sessions of the SCP.

According to the WIPO website,

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SCP25: South Africa’s Experience Related to the Topic of Access to Medicines

Posted on by Thiru

On Wednesday, 14 December 2016, the delegation of South Africa delivered a comprehensive, moving account of South Africa’s “journey in the quest to provide access to essential medicines” at WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Patents.

South Africa Access to Medicines: South Africa’s Experience Related to the Topic of Access to Medicines at the Standing Committee on the Laws of Patents

Background

Madam Vice Chair,

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PCB39: Address of Justice Michael Kirby – HIV/AIDS & Solidarity – 30 Years On

Posted on by Thiru

On 7 December 2016, Justice Michael Kirby delivered the following keynote speech at the 39th Meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board during discussions on intellectual property and access to medicines. Justice Kirby served as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines.

UNAIDS
PROGRAMME COORDINATING BOARD
39TH MEETING, WHO, GENEVA
AGENDA ITEM 6, 7 DECEMBER 2016

HIV/AIDS & SOLIDARITY – 30 YEARS ON*

Michael Kirby**

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SCP25: Statement of Asia Pacific Group on Patents and Health

Posted on by Thiru

On Tuesday, 13 December 2016, India delivered the following statement on behalf of the Asia and the Pacific Group during WIPO discussions on patents and health.

Statement by India on behalf of the Asia and the Pacific Group on the Agenda Item – Patents and Health – delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary (Economic Affairs) on 13 December 2016

Madam Chair,

India has the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Asia Pacific Group. The group would like to make 3 concrete points related to this agenda item

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