WTO TRIPS Council discussions on the transparency of R&D costs and the pricing of medicines: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

In February 2020, the World Trade Organization (WTO) de-restricted the minutes of the TRIPS Council’s October 2019 session. While the official minutes (IP/C/M/93/Add.1) were circulated to WTO members on 9 December 2019, the October 2019 minutes were only available to… Continue Reading

Submission of Knowledge Ecology International on the Draft General Comment: Science and economic, social and cultural rights Art. 15: 15.1b, 15.2, 15.3 and 15.4

On Friday, 14 February 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) submitted the following comments on the Draft General Comment on Science and economic, social and cultural rights prepared by the the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural rights (CESCR). The draft… Continue Reading

WHO EB146: Statement of Knowledge Ecology International on the Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property

On Thursday evening, 6 February 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) delivered the following statement on WHO’s Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property. We request WHO’s Global Observatory on Health Research and Development to… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council (October 2019): Statement of South Africa on the Transparency of R&D Costs and Pricing of Medicines and Health Technology

On Friday, 18 October 2019, South Africa delivered the following statement at the WTO TRIPS Council on transparency of R&D Costs and Pricing of Medicines and Health Technology. Intellectual Property and the Public Interest: R&D Costs and Pricing of Medicines… Continue Reading

WTO TRIPS Council: Submission of South Africa on R&D Costs and Pricing of Medicines and Health Technologies

On Friday, 4 October 2019, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a submission by the Republic of South Africa on “R&D Costs and Pricing of Medicines and Health Technologies” (IP/C/W/659). In this paper, South Africa requested the WTO TRIPS Council… Continue Reading

Joint Comments by KEI, UACT, Social Security Watch and Health Gap on the proposed NIH Exclusive License in CAR Therapy to Lyell Immunopharma (and NIH Response)

(UPDATE: As noted in the comments below, the NIH provided a response to the joint comments submitted on September 5, 2019, well in advance of the close of the comment period on September 15, 2019) On September 19, 2019, Knowledge… Continue Reading

KEI Letter to US House Oversight Committee on NIH Misconduct and Lack of Transparency

On July 22, 2019, Knowledge Ecology International submitted a letter to the US House of Representative’s Committee on Oversight and Reform regarding the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) lack of transparency in its exclusive licensing processes. Prior to executing an… Continue Reading