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.
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,
Matt Richtel and Andrew Pollack explore the complex policy issues involved with the pricing of products based on taxpayer-funded inventions and research in a front page New York Times story published today.
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 PatentsBackground
Madam Vice Chair,
PCB39: Address of Justice Michael Kirby – HIV/AIDS & Solidarity – 30 Years On
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 2016HIV/AIDS & SOLIDARITY – 30 YEARS ON*
Michael Kirby**
SCP25: Statement of Asia Pacific Group on Patents and Health
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 2016Madam 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
SCP 25: Opening statement of Knowledge Ecology International
On Monday, 12 December 2016, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) delivered its opening statement to the 25th session of WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP).
KEI Opening Statement, for SCP 25
12 December 2016KEI will discuss two topics. The first concerns government rights in patented inventions, when the government funds or partly funds the research.
PCB39: Statement of Knowledge Ecology International on Agenda item 6: UNAIDS synthesis report on IP
On Wednesday, 7 December 2016 Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) delivered the following statement at the 39th session of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) during discussions of agenda item 6 entitled, “Synthesis report of existing research and literature on intellectual property-related and other factors impacting the availability, affordability, and accessibility of treatment and diagnostics for HIV and co-infections in low and middle-income countries.”