In May 2009, at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) 18th session, the governments of Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay formally tabled a proposal to WIPO endorsing the World Blind Union’s Treaty for Reading Disabled Persons.
In an August 14, 2009 article in the LA Times, Tom Hamburger provides yet another installment in the ongoing disclosures about a secret White House deal with PhRMA on pharmaceutical pricing.
Thiru Balasubramaniam is the Geneva Representative of Knowledge Ecology International.
On May 25, 2009, Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay (BEP) submitted a formal proposal at the WIPO SCCR 18, asking that the SCCR consider a proposal for a treaty that was presented to the SCCR in 2008 by the World Blind Union. In 2010, the government of Mexico joined as a co-sponsor of the treaty proposal.
Below is the text of the BEP submission at WIPO:
WIPO STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Eighteenth Session Geneva, May 25 to 29, 2009
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KEI has an interest in the general topic of prizes to stimulate innovation, with a special focus on the use of prizes to stimulate medical innovation. The work on medical innovation prizes covers proposals for both high- and lower-income markets, and proposals that target new medical knowledge, as well as product development.
The rollcall for the biosimilars vote in on the Internet here. Based upon the count released by the committee, voting for the Eshoo Amendment were 26 Democrats and 21 Republicans. Voting against were 1 republican (Deal) and 10 Democrats. One Republican did not vote. I have bolded the Nay votes.
Statement of James Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International, on July 31, 2009 House vote on Eshoo/Barton Amendment on biosimilars.
In a roll call vote, the Eshoo/Barton amendment passed by a vote of 47 to 11. A number of consumer groups are issuing statements. This is the KEI statement on the vote.
James Love, Director Knowledge Ecology International (KEI),
(+1) (202) 361-3040, james.love@keionline.org
The Obama Administration, with the support of a Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress, is insisting the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations be conducted in secret. We know, from documents obtained in Europe and the summaries released in April 2009, that the draft ACTA has sections that deal with both injunctions and damages. We don’t have the current text. Continue Reading