KEI comments on USTR 2011 Special 301 Review
KEI’s comments on the USTR 2011 Special 301 Review are available here.
For further background on the 301 process, see: /ustr/special301 Continue Reading
KEI letter to WHO regarding McKinsey, vaccine policy and competing interests
On 15 February 2011, the Co-Chairs of the WHO Open-Ended Working Group of Member States on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits (OEWG) held a consultation with civil society. The Co-chairs of the OEWG are Ambassador J. Gomez-Camacho, Mexico and Ambassador B. Angell-Hansen, Norway. Continue Reading
Greens/EFA MEPs Engström, Sargentini, Beliér, Albrecht ask question on ACTA and Vienna Convention
Four Green/EFA MEPs (from four parties and four countries) have asked a follow-up question on ACTA and the Vienna Connection, trying to get at the “is the US bound?” issue.
Greens/EFA MEPs Christian Engström, Judith Sargentini, Sandrine Beliér and Jan Albrecht have asked the European Commission this follow-up question on ACTA and Vienna Convention:
WikiLeaks cable details UK/US strategy during IGWG negotiations in 2007
On 4 February 2011, WikiLeaks passed on to the UK newspaper, The Telegraph, a cable dated 1 November 2007 from the US Embassy in London entitled “UK AGREES WITH US APPROACH TO UPCOMING WHO INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON PUBLIC HEALTH, INNOVATION, AND IP” signed by “LEBARON“. Continue Reading
De Gucht responds to MEP Françoise Castex. Says ACTA is binding agreement, consistent with EU ‘acquis’
Noncommunicable diseases in the 2011 global public health agenda
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) enjoy a place of prominence on the global public health agenda in 2011. At the 128th WHO EB, the assembly was abuzz with news of a joint Russian and WHO initiative, the “First global ministerial conference on healthy lifestyles and noncommunicable disease control” to be held in Moscow on 28-29 April 2011 and the UN High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on Non-Communicable Diseases in September 2011.
Judit Rius takes position as U.S. Manager of MSF’s Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
At the end of the month, Judit Rius will be leaving KEI and joining MSF in New York as U.S. Manager of MSF’s Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. Judit has been with KEI since 2006, and from the beginning, contributed greatly to nearly every aspect of KEI’s work. We will miss her a lot. At MSF, Judit will work closely with another talented former KEI lawyer, Michelle Childs. We wish Judit well in her new position, and congratulate MSF on the appointment.
KEI comments on Tibotec voluntary licenses of a new HIV-AIDS product
Today, Tibotec, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced it has signed voluntary licensing agreements with several Indian and South African generic companies to allow generic competition on a new HIV-AIDS treatment, the investigational non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor rilpivirine hydrochloride (TMC278) (rilpivirine hydrochloride), to certain developing countries. Continue Reading
Le Monde: L’OMS face à un nouveau conflit d’intérêts
The following is an article by Agathe Duparc which appeared on page four of the Sunday/Monday edition (23 January-24 January 2011) of Le Monde with a reference on the cover page. Below the article are two paragraphs providing readers with more background information on the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board. The third paragraph is the main quote highlighted in the print version. What is missing in this copy below is a cartoon accompanying the piece which shows a bespectacled man with a body of an octopus holding two syringes in a field of dollar signs. Continue Reading