Posts Tagged: World Health Organization
WHO’s C-TAP Initiative Pushes for Non-Exclusive Global Licensing Amid Pharma Industry Concerns
On Friday, May 29, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially launched the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), an initiative which is intended to improve access to treatments, vaccines …
Innovators Rush to Solve Coronavirus Pandemic While Countries Contemplate Compulsory Licensing
Since China announced the first fatality caused by a virus about which little was known at the time, coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, has grown …
Severing the Link Between IP and Biomedical Innovation Isn’t the Answer to Global Health Care Challenges
The cost of medicines is on the agenda this week at the World Health Organization’s annual executive board meeting in Geneva. Nongovernmental organizations and certain middle-income …
WIPO and pharmaceutical industry joining forces to improve meds patent info
Protecting innovation through patents is the lifeblood of the global pharmaceutical industry. Without patents the world and its expanding population would be deprived of new and, ultimately, …
Superbugs Require New Weapons: Strong, Effective Intellectual Property Rights May Be Our Best, Last Hope
The dangers of killer germs and superbugs are not limited to bird flu in China, Ebola in West Africa, Zika in South America and MERS in the …
Focus on Stronger IP Incentives: Price Setting is Not the Cure for Healthcare Spending
The WHO is gathering governments, academics and activists in Amsterdam next month to discuss price setting options for medicines. But the so-called Fair Pricing Forum ignores the …
Intellectual Property Without Borders: How IP Protection for Low-Cost Medical Devices Improves Global Health
Because the production costs of these medical devices and pharmaceuticals are so high, millions of people around the world are unable to obtain necessary healthcare. For example, …
Plain confectionery packaging a heavy-handed response to health concerns
Legislating for tobacco-style plain packages for confectionery is a disproportionate response to the obesity crisis and strips companies of valuable trademarks, writes the Institute of Economic Affairs' …
UN Secretary General’s Panel on Access to Medicines Reports: Government Knows Best
Delayed for months beyond its expected issue date the Secretary General's High Level Panel on Access to Medicine's report emerged yesterday. Apparently the panelists scrambled to better …
95 percent of WHO’s essential medicines are off-patent
The vast majority of medicines found on WHO’s model list of essential medicines are off-patent according to information published by the World International Property Organization (WIPO). …
Governments banning use of brands is a troublesome trend
We understand governments have a responsibility to protect the health of their citizens and therefore, should regulate harmful products. However, there is no compelling evidence that restricting …
Brand Owners Watch as Smoke Clears on Plain Packaging Efforts
The major premise of plain packaging is that when stripped of producers’ logos, brand images and promotional matter, tobacco products simply aren’t as attractive to consumers. …
A look at treatments for hepatitis C, America’s top infectious disease killer
The FDA has been pretty active this year in approving new tests and treatments designed to help identify and eliminate the hepatitis C virus in patients. Swiss …
Are Genetically Modified Mosquitos the Answer to Ending Zika?
Health and government officials around the world are scrambling to find a way to prevent or cure the growing spread of the Zika virus. Could the introduction …
Finding a Fall Guy for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
Prominent officials in the World Health Organization and Saudi government point at surprising villains allegedly standing in the way of international efforts to combat the spread of …