WHA70: Statement of Portugal on the Global shortage of, and access to medicines and vaccines

Portugal delivered the following statement at the 70th World Health Assembly on agenda item, 13.3 – Global shortage of, and access to medicines and vaccines.

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In relation to the Report of the United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines (UNHLP), the delegation of Portugal quoted the intervention delivered by the Portuguese Minister of Health, Professor Campos Fernandes at the plenary of the 70th World Health Assembly.

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Rep. Jan Schakowsky Questions Dr. Anthony Fauci on Zika Vaccine Price at House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing

On May 23, 2017, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., asked Dr. Anthony Fauci whether he believed the federal government should use “every tool” to ensure that Sanofi charges a fair price for a taxpayer-funded Zika vaccine that is being developed by the U.S. Army and funded by BARDA.

Dr. Fauci responded that he did not believe that the government had the “mechanisms” to guarantee an affordable price, even when the U.S. government and taxpayers have made a “major investment” in the development of a drug.

KEI has separately uploaded a short clip of the exchange between Rep. Schakowsky and Dr. Fauci:

Additional information on the Army-BARDA-Sanofi vaccine collaboration is available at /zika and /zika-timeline.

Video of the full hearing and copies of written testimony are available via the House Energy and Commerce Committee website: https://energycommerce.house.gov/hearings-and-votes/hearings/us-public-health-response-zika-virus-continuing-challenges.

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Berlin Declaration of the G20 Health Ministers

After at least eight rounds of negotiation, including two Geneva-based negotiations held on 12 May 2017 and 17 May 2017, the G20 Health Ministers meeting, convened in Berlin from 19-20 May 2017 issued the following declaration.

In relation to the R&D pipeline for developing new antimicrobial therapies, the G20 recognized “the importance of fostering R&D for new antimicrobials, alternative therapies, vaccines and rapid-point-of care diagnostics, in particular for priority pathogens as identified by WHO and for tuberculosis.”

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SCCR 32: IFLA on Orphan Works

>> IFLA: Thank you again Mr. Chair for allowing IFLA to take the floor. IFLA supports initiatives to support and make available cumulative knowledge and cultural heritage and recognize the role of libraries and archives in that respect. We further… Continue Reading

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SCCR 34 Discussions on Limitations and Exceptions for people with other disabilities

May 4, 2017 SCCR 34 Discussion on Limitations and Exceptions for people with other disabilities

If the final text of the Marrakesh Treaty had included Article 15(b) of the 1st version of the treaty negotiating text (SCCR/18/5) that would have clearly covered “other disabilities”, we would not have had the morning discussion.

Here is what had been drafted with the approval of an inclusive group of disabilities experts:

ARTICLE 15. DISABILITIES COVERED

(a) For the purposes of this Treaty, a ‘visually impaired’ person is:

a person who is blind; or
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SCCR 34 Chair’s proposal regarding the committee’s work on L&E and member states comments

SCCR 34 May 3. Chair’s proposal regarding the committee’s work on L&E and member states comments

In brief:

  • The Chair supports an update of the Crews Study
  • The Chair proposes a seminar or conference with multidisciplinary approach to L&Es in the digital environment (instead of separated “silos” such as are now L&Es for Libraries and Education
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SCCR 34 NGOs on Limitations and Exceptions for libraries and archives

May 3, 2017 AM Session. SCCR 34 Limitations and Exceptions for libraries and archives

NGOs statements

IFLA presented its proposal for future work:

  • a draft model law
  • an updated searchable database of exceptions and limitations for libraries, archives and museums
  • a study on issues related to limitations and exceptions for libraries, archives and museums and a cross-border context including digital uses.

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