WTO TRIPS Council (February 2015): EU statement on LDC extension of transition period for pharmaceutical products
The following statement was delivered by the European Union at the February 2015 session in response to the proposal by the LDC Group Request for an Extension of the Transitional Period Under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement for Least Developed Country Members with Respect to Pharmaceutical Products and for Waivers from the Obligation of Articles 70.8 and 70.9 of the TRIPS Agreement.
In particular, the European Union noted,
June 2015: WTO reports on India’s Section 3(d) and compulsory licensing provisions – WTO Trade Policy Review – India
On 2 June 2015 and 4 June 2015, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is conducting a trade policy review of India. All members of the WTO are subject to review under the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The TPRM takes place in the “Trade Policy Review Body which is actually the WTO General Council — comprising the WTO’s full membership — operating under special rules and procedures” (Source: WTO, Trade Policy Reviews: Brief Introduction).
Bucharest: KEI Europe Hosts Side Event on Access to Affordable HCV Medicines Saturday 30 May 10:00
For any of you in Bucharest this weekend at the EASL conference on liver disease, KEI Europe will host a side event on access to affordable HCV medicines on Saturday morning.
Pathways to Widespread Access: Affordable HCV Medicines in Romania
Date: 10:00-12:00 Saturday, 30 May 2015
Venue: Novotel Bucharest City Centre, Conference Room Lyon (Mezzanine Floor)
A Panel Discussion:
Peter Beyer, World Health Organization (WHO). Access to Medicines and Intellectual Property Rights
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WHA68 KEI side event: Andrew Goldman speaking on compulsory licensing of HCV drug patents
On Thursday, May 21, 2015, KEI and KEI Europe hosted a side event at the 68th World Health Assembly on compulsory licensing of patents on drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests. The event was graciously hosted by UNAIDS in the Kofi Annan room.
Put the patents at risk, not the patients
The TPP, following a plethora of other trade agreements involving the United States, the European Union and Japan as trading partners, seeks to expand and extend drug monopolies, by requiring lower standards for the grant of patents, extensions of patent terms, exclusive rights in test data, among other measures. These proposals and polices are designed to have the predictable effect of making drug prices higher.
WHA68: Statement of HAI/KEI on Follow-up to 2014 HLM on comprehensive review + assessment of prevention and control of NCDs
On Tuesday, 26 May 2015, the following statement was delivered in Committee B of the 68th World Health Assembly on behalf of Stichting Health Action International and Knowledge Ecology International on the topic: Follow-up to the 2014 high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to undertake a comprehensive review and assessment of the progress achieved in the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.
May 21, 2015- Agenda for KEI/KEI Europe panel on Compulsory licensing of patents on drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests
Panel discussion
Compulsory licensing of patents on drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and Knowledge Ecology International Europe (KEI Europe):
DATE: Thursday, 21 May 2015
TIME: 17:30-19:00
VENUE: Kofi Annan Room, UNAIDS, Avenue Appia 20
Moderator:
- Ellen ‘t Hoen, Medicines, Law and Policy
Panel members
WHA68: Greek Minister of Health – Panagiotis Kouroumplis – calls for de-linkage of R&D from the price of health technologies
On Monday, 18 May 2015, the Greek Minister of Health, Panagiotis Kouroumplis, delivered the following speech at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, explicitly calling for the de-linkage of the “cost of R&D from the final price of medicines” while highlighting the deleterious effects of austerity measures eroding public health systems, counter to the theme of WHA68, “Resilient Health Systems”.
Here is his speech in full:
Madam Director General, dear colleagues, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen
KEI TPP Briefing note 2015:1 Compulsory licenses on patents and the 3-step test
This is a briefing note prepared for TPP negotiators, addressing a single but important issue, the standards for issuing compulsory licenses in the TPP. Continue Reading