OECD high forum, where are the NGO voices?

The OECD High Level Forum to be held in the Netherlands on June 20 and 21, proposes to discuss new policy strategies to stimulate innovation for and access to medicines for neglected diseases. The meeting has on its face very laudable goals. But while NGOs have been invited to the HLF, they have not been given sufficient opportunity to contribute to the discussion Only one NGO has been invited to speak. By contrast other actors from academia and industry have been given multiple opportunities to present their views.

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Korea FTA

Earlier this week, I met in Seoul with civil society fighting the Korus FTA. They are generally opposed to reopening negotiations at this point, but if they do, they hope to have the intellectual property and access to medicines provisions reopened. Continue Reading

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Views on the 60th World Health Assembly IGWG resolution

On 23 May 2007, the 60th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization’s highest governing body, adopted resolution WHA60.30 on Public health, innovation and intellectual property. This resolution bolstered the work program of WHO’s Intergovernmental Working Group on Public health, innovation and intellectual property (IGWG/PHI). This is the key operative section of the resolution, and the reactions by several key persons.

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The Aachen Innovation Prize

The prize is not huge (5,000 Euros), but the purposes and winners are interesting. According to this account:

The city of Aachen and the district (Kreis) of Aachen have conferred the Aachen Innovation Prize jointly since the year 2000. From 1992 until 1999 it was granted by the city of Aachen alone under the name of the “City of Aachen Prize for Innovation and Technology”.

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KEI Statement on IPR/Health aspects of bipartisan “New Trade Policy”

KEI statement on bipartisan trade agreement
14 May 2007

FMI: James Love james.love@keionline.org, +1.202.361.3040

On May 10, 2007, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Ways and Means Chair Charles Rangel announced a “new bipartisan ” trade package. KEI has reviewed the details of the elements of section III of the agreement, concerning “patents, IPR and access to medicine.”

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