[A2k] Tomorrow: KEI Brown Bag Lunch on FTAs

[Judit Rius Sanjuan]

On Tuesday, December 4, 2007 KEI will host a brown bag lunch about
pharmaceutical provisions in Free Trade Agreements. Professor Ruth
Lopert will compare Australia-US and Korea-US FTAs IP chapters, with a
specific focus on the pharmaceutical provisions.

Time: 12:00-2:00pm
Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Venue: KEI, 1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20009

Title: Comparing the Pharmaceutical Provisions of AUSFTA and KORUS
=96Better or Worse or the Song Remains the Same?

According to Professor Ruth Lopert, while the KORUS chapter on
pharmaceuticals appears to have been modeled on the Pharmaceuticals
Annex of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA), there are both
subtle and less subtle differences between the two texts. By reviewing
both the AUSFTA content and how the provisions have been implemented in
Australia it is possible to appreciate the progression of the text and
consider the implications for Korea=92s fledgling positive list.

Ruth Lopert joined the Department of Health Policy George at Washington
University in 2006 as a Harkness Fellow in Health Policy, and is
currently a Visiting Associate Professor there. A public health
physician and pharmacoepidemiologist by training, prior to taking up her
fellowship Ruth was Principal Adviser and Director of the Pharmaceutical
Policy Taskforce in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
(DoHA) in Canberra, Australia. The Taskforce was established in 2005 to
develop policy options to support the future sustainability of the
Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and to manage the
implementation of the pharmaceutical provisions of the Australia US Free
Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). Ruth is a member of the WHO Expert Advisory
Panel on Drug Policies and Management, and was a key Australian
participant in the negotiation of the pharmaceutical provisions of the
AUSFTA. She has published and presented internationally in
pharmacoeconomics and pharmaceutical policy her research interests
include pharmacoeconomics and reimbursement, pharmaceutical intellectual
property, drug pricing and access to medicines.

Bring your own lunch, we will provide drinks and snacks.

This event is open to the public. RSVPs are not necessary but
appreciated. Send your name, title, organization and contact information
to judit.rius@keionline.org or call 202 332 2670, ext 18

--
Judit Rius Sanjuan
Attorney
judit.rius@keionline.org

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
www.keionline.org / www.cptech.org
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel.: +1.202.332.2670, Ext 18 Fax: +1.202.332.2673