[Ip-health] WHO public health, innovation and intellectual property discussions

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

WHO public health, innovation and intellectual property discussions
resumed at 10:00 AM in Committee Room B at the Palais des Nations.

Currently, the World Health Assembly is discussing the draft Brazilian
resolution, A60/B/Conf. Paper No.3 Rev. 1 (21 May 2007) will be
discussed.  This is a revised text.

New additions to the declaratory language include:


"Welcoming, with enthusiasm, the commitment of the Director-General to
the process spearhearded by the Intergovernmental Working Group on
Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property:

EXPRESSES appreciation to the Director-General for her commitment and
encourages her to guide the process to draw up a global strategy and
plan of action that will provide a medium term framework for
needs-driven essential health research and development;"

Some additions to the operative language include:

"2.  REQUESTS the Director-General:


(1)  to provide technical and policy assistance to countries that want
to make use of the TRIPS flexibilities to increase access to medicines,
vaccines, diagnostic tools and other healthcare products in
implementing the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health;

(2) to provide technical and financial support for regional
consultative meetings in order to set regional priorities that will
inform the work of the IGWG;

(3) to encourage the development of proposals for a health needs-driven
R&D system for discussion at the IGWG that separates paying for the
cost of R&D from the price of medicines, vaccines, diagnostic tools and
other healthcare products.



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Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
voice +41.22.791.6727
fax +41.22.723.2988
mobile +41 76 508 0997
thiru@keionline.org