WIPO Director General Francis Gurry has welcomed the adoption by member states of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) of a new legal instrument that seeks to protect African traditional knowledge and folklore.

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry and the Director General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer, signed an agreement on August 20, 2010 designed to strengthen collaboration between the two organizations.

20 August 2010 -- WHO suggests that countries should be prepared to implement hospital infection control measures to limit the spread of multi-drug resistant strains and to reinforce national policy on prudent use of antibiotics, reducing the generation of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

10 August 2010 -- The new H1N1 virus has largely run its course and the world is no longer in phase 6 of influenza pandemic alert, but in the post-pandemic period.

3 August 2010 -- The worst floods on record in Pakistan are placing the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk, with a high threat of water-borne disease outbreaks and immense damage to health facilities. WHO is coordinating the response of health partners and supporting Pakistani authorities by sending medicines and related health supplies capable of treating more than 200 000 people.

30 July 2010 -- Malnutrition is responsible for one-third of the 8.8 million deaths annually among children under five. Breastfeeding is a key to improve infant and young child nutrition. The "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" ensure right start for every infant and the necessary support for mothers to breastfeed.

Experts from WIPO member states rolled up their sleeves this week and got down to the nitty-gritty of discussions aimed at reaching agreement on an international legal instrument (or instruments) to ensure the effective protection of traditional knowledge (TK), traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) and genetic resources (GRs). Their work focused on what is considered to be the most mature of the three subjects - TCEs - covered by the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC).

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry wrapped up a three day official visit to Dhaka on July 20, 2010 during which he held a series of high level meetings, including with the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. Talks focused on ways to enhance cooperation between WIPO and Bangladesh as well as a range of issues of interest to least developed countries as a whole. Mr. Gurry also presented to the Prime Minister the results of a WIPO-commissioned study on traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) of Bangladesh.

21 July 2010 -- In addition to promoting healthy lifestyle choices the agreement aims to support physical activity, sports for all, Tobacco Free Olympic Games, and the prevention of childhood obesity.

20 July 2010 -- WHO has made new recommendations with the objective of reducing and eventually eliminating new HIV infections in children. To reduce the number of infants that are infected with HIV each year, WHO recommends that all women with HIV receive antiretroviral drugs to protect against transmission during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.

19 July 2010 -- WHO estimates that 1.2 million more people received HIV treatment in 2009 than in 2008. In addition HIV-related mortality can be reduced by 20% in the next five years if guidelines for early treatment are put into action.

6 July 2010 -- The maximum amount of melamine allowed in powdered infant formula is 1 mg/kg according to new rulings from the UN's food standards body, Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Commission also issued new guidance for hygienic measures for safer fresh salads and seafood.

WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) met from June 30 to July 2, 2010 to address industrial design law issues, the protection of state names against registration or use as trademarks, grounds of refusal for trademark registration and collective and certification marks.

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry wrapped up an official visit to Ukraine this week (June 29 to July 1, 2010) during which he met a number of high level Government representatives, including Mr. Volodymyr Semynozhenko, Vice Prime Minister and Mr. Dmytro Tabachnyk, Minister for Education and Science.

The WHO, WIPO and the WTO are jointly organizing a Symposium at technical level on Access to Medicines: Pricing and Procurement Practices on July 16, 2010 at the Centre William Rappard in the WTO in Geneva

29 June 2010 -- A WHO network helps cities design urban settings that enables older people to remain active and continue to be healthy participants in society.

WIPO’s top copyright negotiating body this week discussed better access to copyright-protected works for the blind, visually impaired (VIP) and other reading-disabled persons, as well as updating the rights of broadcasting organizations. The Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), meeting from June 21-24, also reviewed the status of discussions on updating the rights of performers in their audiovisual performances, calling for concrete proposals to advance negotiations.

Member states of WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) – a cost-effective mechanism that facilitates the process of obtaining international patent protection – endorsed a series of recommendations to enhance the PCT’s contribution in improving the quality of granted patents and to make the international patent system more useful to developing countries. This came at the end of a round of discussions by PCT member states within the context of the PCT Working Group from June 14 to 18, 2010.

18 June 2010 -- Accurate dosing of medicines for children is crucial, especially between the ages of 0 to12 months. Dosing errors in children this young can have devastating results. The newly released WHO Model Formulary for Children can help alleviate this problem with information on using over 240 essential medicines for children aged under 12.

17 June 2010 -- Strategic plan for stopping polio worldwide builds upon lessons learnt in Nigeria. However at this important juncture the plan faces a 50% funding shortfall. Simply managing cash flow will not be enough; renewed donor commitment is required to go the final inch and eradicate polio.