The International Debate on Generic Medicines of Biological Origin
The debate on generic medicines is not new. What makes it different today is that attacks levelled against biological products are couched in ever more “technical” and abstruse language that confuses even the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Value Added of the United Nations General Assembly High–Level Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance
In September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York held a dedicated meeting to muster strong political commitment for an effective global response to the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As a result, a High-Level Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance was adopted.
This update provides a snapshot of the activities of the Development, Innovation and Intellectual Property Programme during the month of September 2017.
Intellectual Property in the Trans-Pacific Partnership: Increasing the Barriers for the Access to Affordable Medicines (revised)
Most free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by the United States, the European Union and the members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in the last 15 years contain chapters on intellectual property rights with provisions applicable to pharmaceuticals. Such provisions considerably expand the rights recognized to pharmaceutical companies under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) established in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO). (more…)