Misc notes on the new Wikileaks cables

These are some notes on some of the new Wikileaks cables. (Much more at /wikileaks)

May 18, 2009. Pfizer meets asks US embassy to intervene in Philippines debate over drug prices. Embassy agrees to tell Philippines government that “imposition of price controls . . . would be unacceptable..”

http://wikileaks.org/cable/2009/05/09MANILA1060.html

Subject: Health Department Patent Remedies to Cut Drug Prices

¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Philippine Department of Health is close to
Continue Reading

From Wikileaks, a US government cable on its involvement to shape Guatemala legislation on pharmaceutical IPR

August 28, 2011
From KEI staff review of Wikileaks cables (/wikileaks)

Among the many new cables released by Wikileaks is this gem, a detailed account of the U.S. government pressure on the Guatemala legislature to shape legislation on pharmaceutical test data IPR.

http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/03/05GUATEMALA659.html

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 GUATEMALA 000659

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2010
TAGS: ETRD KIPR PGOV PREL GT
Continue Reading

Uncategorized

WIPO General Assembly: Expectations loom over decisions on treaties for actors, reading disabled persons and genetic resources

The WIPO General Assembly meets from Monday, 26 September 2011 to Wednesday, 5 October 2011 and will take place at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG), 17 rue de Varembé, 1211, Geneva.

The tentative schedule for 49th session of the WIPO General Assembly can be found here: http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/govbody/en/a_49/a_49_1_prov_2.pdf.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Medicines Patent Pool agreement with Gilead contains flexibilities including termination provisions and severability of licenses

On 12 July 2011, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Gilead announced an agreement for Gilead to license patents for tenofovir (TDF), emtricitabine (FTC), elvitegravir (EVG), cobisistat (COBI) and a four drug combination of these drugs. KEI’s initial comments on the agreement are available here. Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Of WIPO, diplomatic conferences and international legally binding instruments

The 19th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore is meeting this week in Geneva (18-22 July 2011) to make a a decision on a possible international legal instrument (or instruments) to protect genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore. At the discussions of future work on 19 July 2011, the United States (Albert Tramposch, USPTO) asked the WIPO Legal Counsel (Edward Kwakwa) the following question.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

2nd meeting of WHO Consultative Working Group on R&D Financing (CEWG): Summary of proceeedings by Chair (John Arne Røttingen)

On 8 July 2011, the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing and Coordination (CEWG) held an open session to brief the public on their preliminary assessments and recommendations.

To access the slide presentation presented by the Chair (John Arne Røttingen, Norway) and Vice-Chair (Claudia Inês Chamas, Brazil), please click on the following link: http://www.who.int/phi/news/Open_Session_July_v3.pdf

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Notes from the Seventh Round of TPPA Negotiations in Vietnam

Last week I attended the seventh round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) that took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I was able to meet negotiators from all nine negotiating parties and was able to discuss our concerns regarding the proposed U.S. IP chapter for the TPPA, including, in particular, access to medicines and the right to health. I was also able to distribute the joint civil society comments previously submitted to the U.S. Continue Reading

Uncategorized