[Ip-health] Post-Election: Trade, IP, and CPTech's Nov. 16 FTA session

[Benjamin Krohmal]

Democrats Could Slow US Trade Deals But May Change Little On IP
IP- Watch, 23/11/2006, by Martin Vaughan

The following paragraphs report on the November 16th FTA strategy
session at CPTech:

"Still, some health activists believe the Democrats=92 victory gives
them a foothold in their quest to roll back expansions of TRIPS
obligations that have been included in recent US trade agreements.
=93The new US political context might be the perfect time to challenge
IPR chapters in [bilateral trade deals], not only by opposing but by
offering alternatives,=94 said Gaelle Krikorian of CRESP at a 16
November activists=92 strategy session on issues of trade and health.
At the same event, Brook Baker of Health GAP said groups should
continue to focus on trying to move language stressing the pre-
eminence of the 2001 Doha Declaration on TRIPS and health from side
letters and footnotes to the text of agreements. The Peru and
Colombia agreements include side letters intended to clarify that the
data protection provisions do not limit the flexibilities in the Doha
Declaration on TRIPS and health with respect to compulsory licensing
of drugs needed to combat public health concerns."

full text:
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=3D466&res=3D1440_ff&print=3D0



Benjamin Krohmal
Medical Innovation Fund Project Director
Consumer Project on Technology
Tel: +1-202-332-2670 ex. 14
Fax: +1-202-332-2673
ben.krohmal@cptech.org