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

KEI Files Amicus Brief in GlaxoSmithKline vs Teva Induced Infringement Case

(Updated for KEI’s corrected brief). On Wednesday December 16, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) filed an amicus curiae brief in GlaxoSmithKline LLC v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (“GSK”, “Teva”). The case concerns secondary indications of medicines, and whether Teva induced… Continue Reading

South Africa on fire: closing innings at the WTO TRIPS Council (10 December 2020)

UPDATE (16 December 2020): The WTO General Council is meeting from Wednesday, 16 December 2020 to Friday, 18 December 2020 to discuss a number of matters including e-commerce, cotton, and TRIPS Council matters. Under agenda item 13, the Chair of… Continue Reading

$1.8 Billion Sanofi Vaccine Contract Contains International Reference Pricing Clause, Preserves Standard IP and Data Rights

The contract awarding Sanofi Pasteur (“Sanofi”) 1.8 billion U.S. taxpayers’ dollars for the development and manufacture of a COVID-19 vaccine was posted in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Electronic Reading Room on November 30, 2020. Overall, the… Continue Reading