30+ Civil Society Orgs to USTR: Stop Threatening to Block Colombia’s OECD Accession over Pharma/Biotech Lobby Interests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2018 kim.treanor@keionline.org (202)-332-2670 A broad international coalition of over 30 human rights organizations, including some across the United States and Latin America, have come together to ensure that providing access to health care doesn’t come… Continue Reading

Statement of Portugal: UN briefing on Promoting Innovation and Access to Health Technologies in the Context of the Agenda 2030

On Tuesday, 6 March 2018, Cristina Pucarinho, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations made the following intervention at a UN briefing on Promoting Innovation and Access to Health Technologies in the Context of the Agenda 2030… Continue Reading

KEI comments at July 25, 2017 civil society stakeholder forum at the 19th round of the RCEP negotiation

These are the notes I used when providing the KEI comments at the July 25, 2017 civil society stakeholder forum at the 19th round of the RCEP negotiation.

My name is James Love. I work for Knowledge Ecology International, an NGO that focuses on the social aspects to the production, management and control of knowledge goods. I am also a member of the board of directors of the Union for Affordable Cancer Treatment.

The IP Chapter is complex, and in the time allocated, I will discuss five issues.

Continue Reading

HRC35: Human Rights Council adopts Right to Health Resolution

The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) convened its 35th session from 6 June 2017 to 23 June 2017. During HRC35 (which took place in Room XX of the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva), a group of 21 countries tabled a resolution entitled, “The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Continue Reading

WHA70: Statement of Portugal on the Global shortage of, and access to medicines and vaccines

Portugal delivered the following statement at the 70th World Health Assembly on agenda item, 13.3 – Global shortage of, and access to medicines and vaccines.

PortugalWHA70.png

In relation to the Report of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines (UNHLP), the delegation of Portugal quoted the intervention delivered by the Portuguese Minister of Health, Professor Campos Fernandes at the plenary of the 70th World Health Assembly.

Continue Reading

WHA70 – Side Event on Addressing Access Barriers and Affordability Challenges for Cancer Drugs – 24 May 2017

On Wednesday, 24 May 2017, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), Oxfam and Stichting Health Action International (HAI) are convening a side event on addressing access barriers and affordability challenges for cancer medicines. This panel will take place in Salle IX of the United Nations Palais des Nations from 18:00 to 19:30.

Date: Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Time: 18:00 to 19:30
Location: Salle IX, United Nations Palais des Nations

Panelists:

Continue Reading

14 March 2017 – Senate Finance Committee grills Robert Lighthizer (USTR nominee) on trade and IPR policies

On 14 March 2017, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held confirmation hearings for Robert Lighthizer, President Donald Trump’s appointee for United States Trade Representative. During the Reagan administration, Lighthizer served as Deputy US Trade Representative with the rank of Ambassador (Source: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=41174). Prior to his tenure as Deputy USTR, from 1981 to 1983, Lighthizer served as Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Currently, he is a partner at Skadden Arps. Continue Reading

8 March 2017 – Statement of Portugal – HRC 34 – Panel on Access to Medicines

On 8 March 2017, the Permanent Representative of Portugal, Ambassador Pedro Nuno Bártolo, made a powerful intervention at the Human Rights Council’s panel discussion on access to medicines. Portugal stressed that access to medicines is a fundamental element of the right to health and highlighted how the high prices of hepatitis C and cancer medicines made them unaffordable to large segments of the population in industrialized countries. Continue Reading