WTO disputes- Intellectual property dimensions of the Boeing case (WT/DS353)
“Roma locuta causa finita est” (Rome has spoken, therefore the case has been decided) was the maxim employed by medieval jurists to describe the absolute irrevocability of papal judgements in canon law. Today, in modern international trade law, the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Appellate Body fulfills a similar function as the international trading system’s “Supreme Court”. In the words of the WTO,
[t]he Appellate Body was established in 1995 under Article 17 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU). Continue ReadingIs the WHO CEWG proposal for the R&D treaty “too small”?
The WHO’s Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) on R&D proposal for a new WHO Convention on health R&D has been widely praised by public health groups (See https://www.keionline.org/node/1399). The CEWG proposal for a treaty has also, at least so far, avoided much criticism from the pharmaceutical industry, even though it strongly embraces the notion of delinkage of R&D costs from product prices, open innovation, and technology transfer and capacity building in developing countries. Continue Reading
More notes on the USTR 2012 Special 301 List
The USTR’s 2012 Special 301 list was published on April 30, 2012. Below are some comments about certain portions of the Special 301 Report that concern access to knowledge and access to medicines.
USTR cites the “TEAM” approach to access to medicines
Continue ReadingUSTR’s 2012 Special 301 Report, focuses on largest developing country markets, and Canada
The 2012 USTR Special 301 Report was published on April 30, 2012. The report details USTR’s unilateral standards for the granting and enforcement for a diverse set of intellectual property rights, and singles out countries that USTR claims do not… Continue Reading
Senate HELP Committee proposes evaluation of Innovation Inducement Prizes, as alternative to product monopolies
In the United States Senate, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) is trying to move forward a bill titled the “Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.” Among other things, the bill would “amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs and medical devices, establish user-fee programs for generic drugs and biosimilars,” and address a number of other topics, such as extend the legal monopoly on antibiotic drugs by 5 years. Continue Reading
Senate HELP Committee Markup of FDA Bills on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
On Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 10:00 AM, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will have an executive session to do a markup of FDA bills.
Views on the Report of the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development (CEWG)
On Thursday, 5 April 2012, the World Health Organization released the report of the Report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG) entitled “Research and Development to Meet Health Needs in Developing Countries: Strengthening Global Financing and Coordination”.
5 April 2012: World Health Organization’s Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing releases its Report
On Thursday, 5 April 2012, the World Health Organization released the report of the Report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination entitled “Research and Development to Meet Health Needs in Developing Countries: Strengthening Global Financing and Coordination”. The 218 page report will take some time to fully assess.
The report can be found here: http://www.who.int/phi/CEWG_Report_5_April_2012.pdf
Senator Harkin (D-IA) sends letter to President Obama supporting a WIPO treaty for the visually impaired
On Friday, March 30, 2012, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee sent a letter to President Obama supporting an international treaty for persons who are visually impaired or have other disabilities. The letter urges the Obama administration to achieve several goals in such a treaty, including robust minimum standards that do not diminish the rights provided for under U.S. Continue Reading
KEI letter to Steve Ricchetti, asking recusal in matters that involve former clients
On March 12, 2012, Tedmund Wan posted a note on Joe Biden’s appointment of Steve Ricchetti, exploring potential conflicts of interest with the clients in a lobbying firm that he ran. On March 29, 2012, KEI formally asked Ricchetti to recuse himself in matters concerning his former clients. The letter follows.
29 March 2012
Steve Ricchetti
Counselor to Vice President Joe Biden
The White House
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