KEI Response to Questions from USTR on Special 301 – March 5, 2021
Intellectual Property Rights
23 February 2021: South Africa’s interventions at the WTO TRIPS Council
On 23 February 2021, South Africa delivered two detailed statements at the WTO TRIPS Council’s most recent deliberations on a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 (IP/C/W/669). South Africa did… Continue Reading
Incoming WTO Director-General calls for ‘third way’ towards scaling up manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines
On Monday, 15 February 2021, the World Trade Organization’s General Council, “agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General” (Source: History is made: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala chosen as Director-General, 15 February 2021). Dr Ngozi is… Continue Reading
Exclusive License to NIH Invention Used in Lilly Antibody Treatment Contains Termination Clause and Government-Use Rights
KEI has reviewed an exclusive license between the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and AbCellera Biologics (“AbCellera”) concerning a technology invented by NIAID that apparently is being used for the Eli Lilly (“Lilly”) antibody treatment for COVID-19… Continue Reading
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