KEI general statement to the 15th Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP)
SCP 15
General Statement of Knowledge Ecology International
12 October 2010
1. Knowledge Ecology International welcomes the reports by experts, thanks the Secretariat for its work on this topic.
As a general matter, KEI suggests the WIPO Secretariat provide standardized disclosure of the professional consulting that various experts do, as is the practice for other UN bodies and some academic journals.
USPTO to offer new incentives to license patents for humanitarian uses, based upon FDA priority review voucher
The USPTO has a federal register notice out asking for public comment on a welcome new initiative, modeled after the FDA priority review voucher, to create incentives to license patents for humanitarian uses. The initiative is set out here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-23395.pdf.
U.S. Department of State cables regarding Brazil and pharmaceutical patents and prices – 1986-1987
Background
Beginning in 1985, the United States government (USG) diplomatic and trade officials have engaged in wide ranging activities aimed at changing global norms for the protection of intellectual property rights, with a particular emphasis on the IPR protections for pharmaceutical products.
This note reports on U.S. Department of State cables sent in 1986 and 1987, that discussed the U.S. government efforts to change policies in Brazil on the intellectual property protection for pharmaceutical products. The cables have been obtained by KEI with a FOIA request.
Federal judge in Myriad patent case says invalidation of gene patents does not violate TRIPS
In today’s court ruling in Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. USPTO, et al., Judge Robert Sweet rejected claims by Myriad that invaliding the patents would be an unconstitutional taking, or violate the WTO TRIPS Agreement. In discussing the TRIPS, Judge Sweet mentioned Article 8.1 and 27.3 of the TRIPS.
PhRMA’s asks regarding special 301, drug pricing and reimbursement
Below are asks from the 2010 PhRMA submission to the USTR Special 301 list on the topic of drug pricing and reimbursement decisions, and described as ‘Market Access Barriers.’ In its assertions, PhRMA attack countries for government price negotiations, making use of reference pricing, the insufficient involvement of pharmaceutical companies in setting government pricing policies and the composition of drug formularies, among other things.
CHINA
FOIA document: In 2007, US Ambassador Ralph Boyce was pleased that Abbott withdrew life saving drugs from market in Thailand
In 2007, Thailand was involved in a dispute over the granting of compulsory licenses on medicines, including the patents used for Kaletra, an Abbott drug used in the treatment of AIDS. Kaletra is the brand name for a fixed dose combination of lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r) — two drugs invented at Abbott on an NIH grant. In 2007, LPV/r was the preferred combination for protease inhibitor regimes used to treat AIDS. Continue Reading
March 28, 2001 Letter to US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson regarding access to NIH funded patents
March 28, 2001
Secretary Tommy Thompson
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Mr. Thompson:
John Edwards calls for prizes to replace monopolies as innovation incentive for new drugs
Written by James Love
Friday, 15 June 2007
John Edwards, a leading candidate for the democratic nomination for president of the United States, has issued a statement endorsing prizes as an "alternative to patent monopolies" for new drugs and other inventions. This was from the Edwards campaign press release:
Edwards Details Cost-Savings Measures In Universal Health Care Plan, Jun 14, 2007
KEI asks FTC to Investigate Gilead Effort To Control Market For AIDS Drugs Ingredients
Press Release 15 Feb 07 FMI James Love +1.202.332.2670, cell +1.202.361.3040, james.love@keionline.org September 2, 2009 (See attachment for patent and health experts contact information) FTC ASKED TO INVESTIGATE GILEAD EFFORT TO CONTROL MARKET FOR AIDS DRUGS INGREDIENTS [Complaint available… Continue Reading
KEI RN 2007:2 Recent examples of compulsory licensing of patents
KEI Research Note 2007:2 [1]
(A PDF version of this is available here.)
Recent examples of the use of compulsory
licenses on patents[1]
KEI Research Note 2007:2