Knowledge Ecology International

The World Health Assembly (WHA) has just adopted a new resolution on the “Establishment of a Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Finance and Coordination.” The resolution is just over 4 pages. It represents a dramatic response to the earlier WHO Expert Working Group (EWG), by

1. calling for a more member state driven role in establishing the membership of the group,
2. focusing extensively by the need to deepen the analysis,

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Dr. Mary Moran was a member of the WHO Expert Working Group on R&D financing. According to one WHO official, she was also hired by the World Health Organization to write key sections of the report, managed the selection criteria, ended up giving her own proposal the highest rating, and was asked by the WHO to address the May 13th consultations with WHO member states. Yesterday Dr. Moran approached me in part to ask that she not be identified as an employee of the George Institute. Continue Reading →

Moving beyond the EWG: Charting a new path for WHO to promote innovation AND access to medicines

Non-governmental organization perspectives on de-linkage, prizes and the R+D Treaty

Date: Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Location: Salle XXV, Palais des Nations
Time: 13:00 to 14:30

I+A: Innovation+Access Continue Reading →

Last evening the Global Health Council (GHC) and the Global Health Forum (GHF) co-hosted an event on funding R&D for neglected diseases. The event was one of several hosted by the GHC at the posh Intercontinental Hotel.

A “proposal” for PDP funding was presented by Novartis, IAVI and Mary Moran. Called PDP+, it was an attempt to “merge” three different proposals that were endorsed by the WHO Expert Working Group (EWG).

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On Wednesday, 19 May 2010, the launch of the 2.3(c) Committee will take place at Room XXV of the Palais de Nations from 13:00 to 14:30. Element 2.3(c) of the WHO Global Strategy on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property states:

encourage further exploratory discussions on the utility of possible instruments or mechanisms for essential health and biomedical R&D, including inter alia, an essential health and biomedical R&D treaty

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As the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA) opens on May 17, 2010, WHO member countries will meet to consider matters of great moment including such topics as ‘counterfeit medical products’, pandemic influenza preparedness (sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits) and the Report of the WHO Expert Working Group on R&D Financing. Continue Reading →

In a letter dated 4 May 2010, the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Pascal Lamy has responded to questions and concerns of the European Parliament regarding the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Continue Reading →

12 May 2010

Statement of Knowledge Ecology International on possible WTO disputes against the EU seizures of goods in transit

Thiru Balasubramaniam, Geneva Representative

“In a world with territorial patent rights, it is important that the rules for ‘goods in transit’ permit the transport of medicines from places where they can be made to places where they will be used. The EU’s systematic seizure of at least 17 drug consignments is indefensible and undermines the very principle of free trade, the raison d’être of the World Trade Organization.

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USTR has released its 2010 Special 301 list. Closely following the IIPI and the PhRMA asks, the Special 301 Priority Watch List countries are: Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, and Venezuela. Among high income countries, Finland, Norway and Spain made the Watch list this year. Sweden was off.

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The Chapter FIVE (Institutional Arrangements) of ACTA is short. In less than 4 pages (pp 33-36) the negotiators “hereby establish” and “Oversight Steering Committee” (the OSC). Of course all of this chapter can be revisited later (see footnote 73) but let’s examine what is proposed now.

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