Does NIH comply with 40 USC 559, and consult Department of Justice when issuing exclusive patent licenses? Apparently not.
KEI Comments Regarding NIH Exclusive License to PreciThera
(Update: The NIH provided a response to our comments on August 24, 2020) On August 20, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) submitted comments regarding the prospective grant of an exclusive license by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to PreciThera,… Continue Reading
WHO donors in 2019 – Setting the agenda for Global Health?
On 29 June 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a document (A73/INF./3, 29 June 2020), entitled, “Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor, 2019“. Total voluntary contributions to WHO’s Total General Fund in 2019 amounted to $2,443,961,432; in 2018,… Continue Reading
KEI and UACT Comments Regarding NIH Exclusive License to Cytovia for CAR Technology
On August 14, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) and the Union for Affordable Cancer Treatment (UACT) submitted comments to the NIH’s “Prospective Grant of an Exclusive Patent License: Allogeneic Therapy Using Chimeric Antigen Receptors Targeting GPC3” (85 FR 45912). The… Continue Reading
Controlled Digital Lending in a Pandemic
The entire world is struggling to deal with the COVID 19 pandemic, and even in the favorable scenarios, facing a protracted recovery. Among the many casualties of the pandemics are the closing of schools and restrictions of access to libraries.… Continue Reading
Italy undertakes bold measures on transparency by adopting the Pricing and Reimbursement Decree
On Friday, 24 July 2020, Italy officially published the long-anticipated Pricing and Reimbursement Decree in the Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana setting in motion Italy’s place as the first country to implement the WHO transparency resolution (WHA72.8). In statement before… Continue Reading
WTO TRIPS Council (July 2020): The European Union’s position on the interface of IP and health technologies in the COVID-19 response
On 30 July 2020, the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened a formal meeting of the TRIPS Council. The TRIPS Council held discussions on two COVID-19 related topics: agenda item 3 on IP Measures in the Context of COVID-19 and agenda… Continue Reading
BARDA Responds to KEI, Public Citizen Letter Asking BARDA to Enforce Moderna Contract
(More on Moderna here: https://www.keionline.org/moderna) On August 5, 2020, BARDA Acting Director Gary Disbrow sent KEI and Public Citizen a letter (PDF copy) responding to KEI and Public Citizen’s joint letter outlining how Moderna failed to honor a term of… Continue Reading
KEI and Public Citizen request BARDA to address Moderna’s noncompliance with COVID-19 vaccine contract term
(More on Moderna here: https://www.keionline.org/moderna) On July 31, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International and Public Citizen sent Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) a letter asking BARDA to enforce a term of Moderna’s billion dollar contract with BARDA to develop… Continue Reading
FDA asked to ban music in pharmaceutical ad discussions of side effects and risks
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), and three individuals, Manon Ress, Professor Liza Vertinsky, from Emory Law School and Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, a fellow at Yale University School of Medicine, have filed a citizens petition with… Continue Reading