Report on the IGWG

The World Health Organization recently posted a news release stating that: the <World> Health Assembly produced a public health breakthrough by providing a platform for removing barriers and using innovative methods to encourage research, development and access to medicines for the common diseases of the developing world. The public health, innovation and intellectual property strategy [...]

Patents are the wrong target

Much as the WHO’s IGWG draft strategy on public health, innovation and intellectual property remains unfinished with the close of the 61st World Health Assembly, so does the global discussion on this important topic. Benetto Della Verova, a member  of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, writing in the International Herald Tribune (‘Patents are the wrong target’ ) [...]

Patient safety before profits

I totally agree with the article by kmlybecker below.  The seizure of illegal counterfeit pharmaceuticals by U.S. Customs increased 660% from 2006 to 2007.  According to these same authorities, 80% of the counterfeit drugs originates in China with the rest mostly coming from Pakistan, Egypt, Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Half of all internet drug sales [...]

Anti-IP Special Interests Continue to Pursue Strategies at IGWG that Benefit Grey Market Suppliers and Others that Profit from Their Agenda

At the World Health Organization meetings, a myriad of special interest groups are aggressively lobbying member states to loosen the definition of counterfeit medicines and to weaken intellectual property protection. Three key strategies are at the heart of the Anti-IP activists tactics o benefit generic and “grey –market” suppliers of drugs. The first strategy is [...]

Resolution on counterfeit medicine

On May 20th a draft resolution on counterfeit medical products was submitted to the World Health Assembly by the nations of Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.  As the WHA turns to the challenges surrounding counterfeit pharmaceuticals, it is valuable to reflect on the threat counterfeit drugs pose.  In particular, it is [...]

Overview of the IGWG draft plan

The WHO’s Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property will present their incomplete draft strategy at this week’s 61st World Health Assembly. Unfortunately, unless you’re a lawyer or government policy analyst, it is difficult to understand what the real reccomendations are.  For everyone else, here is an easy to understand overview of [...]

Truth from the front lines

I had the pleasure of attending the Patients and Patents reception and workshop in Geneva on the eve of the 61st World Health Assembly where we received an update on the progress made by the IGWG on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property. One of the speakers was an Anglican priest from Nigeria, Father Ojeh.  [...]

Patients speak out on global health and innovation – May 15, 2008

On May 15th (the eve of the 61st World Health Assembly), patient representatives from around the world gathered in Geneva to voice their concerns and provide recommendations on the draft plan of action as proposed by the WHO’s Intergovernmental Working Group on Innovation and Public Health (IGWG). The following audio recordings from the patient meeting [...]

Outcomes from the Second Session of the IGWG

The World Health Organization’s Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (IGWG) met for the continuation of its second session in Geneva at the end of April.  While they didn’t achieve consensus on all elements of their draft plan, there were many areas of agreement. Some of the points of consensus include: [...]

The relationship between intellectual property (IP) rights & drug efficacy and safety

Without any meaningful input from patients, intense efforts are underway at the WHO to weaken – or dismantle – the system of intellectual property (IP) rights that has produced nearly every life-saving medicine that is available today.  On behalf of a variety of both public and private sector special interests, anti-IP NGOs are using the [...]