House Coronavirus Bill Provision Could be Used for COVID-19/Coronavirus-Related R&D without Public-Interest Safeguards

A House coronavirus stimulus bill contains a provision concerning the use of Other Transactions Authority to fund COVID-19 diagnostics. The provision appears to authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to award $2.2 billion to private sector companies to develop… Continue Reading

President and Minister of Health of Costa Rica ask WHO to create global pool for rights in COVID-19 related technologies

(KEI blogs and other work on COVID-19 are here: https://www.keionline.org/coronavirus) A letter from Costa Rica, signed by Carlos Alarado Quesada, the President, and Dr. Daniel Salas Peraza, the Minister of Health, to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was sent this evening… Continue Reading

FDA gives Gilead a seven year regulatory monopoly for remdesivir to treat COVID-19, on grounds it is an “Orphan” treating a rare disease

Today the FDA granted Gilead Orphan Drug status for remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, on grounds this is a rare disease. The morning of the designation, the U.S. had confirmed, through testing, more than 35 thousand cases, including 8,477… Continue Reading

KEI Letter to Speaker Pelosi Regarding Use of “Other Transaction Authority” (OTA) in Coronavirus Bill to Escape Bayh-Dole Public Interest Safeguards

For more on KEI’s work on COVID-19, see keionline.org/coronavirus. On March 23, 2020, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding a provision in the current draft of the Senate version of the coronavirus funding bill… Continue Reading

Israel issues compulsory license to allow the government to import generic versions of Kaletra

(More on COVID-19 here: https://www.keionline.org/coronavirus) On Wednesday, 18 March 2020 (22nd of Adar, 5780), Israel’s Minister of Health, MP Rabbi Yaacov Litzman, issued a Permit to the State to Exploit an Invention Pursuant to Chapter Six, Article Three of the… Continue Reading

Legislative Committee in Ecuador approves resolution on compulsory licensing of patents relating to the coronavirus

For more on KEI’s work on COVID-19, see keonline.org/coronavirus. Today, the Education, Culture, Science and Technology Commission of the National Assembly in Ecuador approved a resolution asking the Minister of Health to issue compulsory licenses over patents related to coronavirus… Continue Reading

Chilean Chamber of Deputies approves resolution for compulsory licenses for patents relating to the coronavirus virus

For more on KEI’s work on COVID-19, see keonline.org/coronavirus. Today, with an overwhelming 127 votes in favor and 0 votes against, the Chilean Chamber of Deputies approved a strong resolution asking the Chilean Government to declare that there is justification… Continue Reading

Three areas in Section 202 of the Bayh-Dole Act that require action to ensure sufficient rights in patents on coronavirus relevant inventions

For more on KEI’s work on COVID-19, see keonline.org/coronavirus. As the US and other governments begin to expend large amounts of money on research and development related to the control, prevention and treatment of the coronavirus pandemic, there are important… Continue Reading

WIPO’s Coordination Committee nominates Daren Tang of Singapore for the Post of Director General

Updated between 11 March 2020 to 18 March 2020 to include reactions from stakeholders on the nomination of Daren Tang (Singapore) as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Brook K. Baker, Senior Policy Analyst Health GAP (Global… Continue Reading