How Intellectual Property can raise export income and alleviate poverty

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) supported the recent development of an interesting booklet entitled “Distinctive Values in African exports – How Intellectual Property can raise export income and alleviate poverty.” While this booklet focuses more on consumer goods than on health, it is interesting to hear how Intellectual Property can be used to the [...]

China looks to strengthen intellectual property rights

New intellectual property plan to boost Chinese patents Hepeng Jia 24 June 2008 [BEIJING] China has launched a national intellectual property rights (IPR) strategy to encourage innovation and strengthen its legal framework in the field. The National IPR strategy outline, published earlier this month (5 June) by China’s State Council, aims to turn China into [...]

Lower tariffs to fight AIDS

25,000 people from around the world gathered this week in Mexico City for the 17th International AIDS Conference.  Thomson Ayodele’s column in yesterday’s New York Post focuses on the main challenges facing patients in developing countries:  lack of healthcare infrastructure and access to safe medicines. ( August 4, 2008 )  This week, 25,000 people from around [...]

Alberta trucker’s death raises questions about natural remedies

The term ‘natural’ does not necessarily mean ’safe’ — a fact demonstrated by an artcle published in today’s Edmonton Journal about a death connected to the use of a herbal remedy. Nearly three in four Canadians have used natural health products, according to a 2005 Health Canada survey, and nearly half say if they see a natural health product for [...]