The Health Impact Fund and product monopolies

KEI will later issue a more detailed comment on the Health Impact Fund. One of the key issues that will be addressed is the way that Hollis and Pogge propose turning the prize fund proposals that are based upon open licensing of patents into something that reinforces the monopoly supply chain.

We understand that one motivation for doing this was to attract support from some large pharmaceutical companies, and the European governments that protect them.

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KEI reaction to composition of WHO Expert Working Group on R&D financing

WHO has announced the names for the Expert Working Group on R&D financing

We don’t know everyone on the list, but for the people that we do know, we are generally impressed. The WHO seems to have created a body with considerable expertise and reputation, and included people who will consider new ideas. This seems like a very good start.

http://www.who.int/phi/R_Dfinancing/en/index.html

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Unpacking the WIPO SCCR Limitations and Exceptions (to copyright) agenda

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) divides its norm setting work among several committees. The 17th meeting of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met last week, and considered several topics, including the first in-depth effort to consider a work program on limitations and exceptions for copyright. This work program, first proposed formally by Chile (SCCR/13/5) among WIPO member states, is a work in progress. Continue Reading

WIPO’s press release for SCCR 17, what isn’t said says something

Two quick points about the WIPO press release for SCCR 17:

1. The press release does not mention the term “trans-border” (a reference to export and import), even though this was referred to in the context of L&E for distance education in the SCCR conclusions. Clearly the EU opposition to the New Zealand text on “application to the international exchange of materials in accessible formats” made an impression on the WIPO Secretariat.

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SCCR draft conclusions — influenced by right-owners, ignore WBU proposal

WIPO has just released at 8:50 am, “draft conclusions of the SCCR.”

The section on limitations and exceptions was good in some areas, for example, when the committee “stressed the importance of the forthcoming study on exceptions and limitations for the benefit of educational activities, including distance education and the trans-border aspect therof, and that it should include developing and least developed countries.”

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KEI Statement on SCCR future work

KEI supports work on copyright limitations and exceptions. Like many others, we think that access for disabled persons should be given priority. The World Blind Union (WBU) has petitioned WIPO consistently on this topic since 2002, at SCCR 7. It is time to address the human rights of disabled persons.

KEI asks the SCCR to remove the broadcasting treaty from the agenda until such time as there is greater consensus over the purpose of the treaty.

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