2021: KEI Comments to the USTR Special 301 Review

(More on the USTR Special 301. link) On Thursday January 28, 2021, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) submitted comments to the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Review process. The USTR conducts an annual review of other countries’ intellectual property policies… Continue Reading

Novavax and Inovio COVID-19 Vaccine Contracts Limit Prices Companies Can Charge for Their Products

One of the main objections to march-in rights and reasonable pricing clauses is the repeated assertion by NIH leadership that pharmaceutical companies would never agree to a partnership with the federal government that involves price constraints. This argument defies logic… Continue Reading

President Ursula von der Leyen on COVID-19 (Davos Agenda Week): “And now, the companies must deliver. They must honour their obligations.”

On Tuesday, 26 January 2021, Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission delivered a special address at “Davos Agenda Week” devoting much of her speech to the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While President von… Continue Reading

EB 148: KEI’s statement on WHO’s Global Observatory on Health R&D

On Friday, 22 January 2021, Knowledge Ecology International delivered the following remarks on WHO”s Global Observatory on Health R&D at the 148th session of WHO’s Executive Board. At meetings of WHO governing bodies, non-State actors are limited to one minute… Continue Reading

WHO EB 148: KEI’s statement on expanding access to effective treatments for cancer and rare and orphan diseases including cell and gene-based therapies

At the meeting of the World Health Organization’s 148th Executive Board, Knowledge Ecology International delivered the following remarks on expanding access to effective treatments for cancer and rare and orphan diseases including cell and gene-based therapies on Friday, 22 January… Continue Reading

Letter from the People’s Vaccine Alliance and Health Action International to Dr. Tedros on C-TAP

On 21 January 2021 the People’s Vaccine Alliance and Health Action International (HAI) sent an open letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), expressing concern about the lack of political support and reported progress… Continue Reading

EB 148: WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) comes under scrutiny

On Tuesday, 19 January 2021, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Executive Board discussed the COVID-19 response. In these discussions, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), and Health Action International (HAI) expressed concerns over WHO’s leadership of the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP).… Continue Reading

WHO informal consultation (3 December 2020) addressed concerns on price transparency and shortages

On Monday, 11 January 2021, the secretariat of the World Health Organization (WHO) published an 18 page report on the Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property (EB148/10). The Director-General’s report contains a detailed… Continue Reading

EB 148: WHO board paper on expanding access to effective treatments of cancer and rare and orphan diseases including cell and gene-based therapies

On 16 December 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) published a paper that delighted in the name, Expanding access to effective treatments for cancer and rare and orphan diseases, including medicines, vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, assistive products, cell- and gene-based… Continue Reading