The World Health Assembly adopted a resolution that urges member states to improve coordination at the national level between international trade and public health, requesting the World Health Organization (WHO) to help its member states to do this. The resolution calls for governments to promote a better dialogue on trade and health, and gives health ministries a place at the table with other government agencies involved in trade issues, establishing mechanisms to enable this.
Health equity in economic and trade policies
World Health Assembly adopts resolution tying public health to trade policy
Intellectual Property Watch, 27 May 2006
African workers and scholars unite
Bond P
At Workers University in Cairo, a mid-May gathering of 100 trade union leaders and intellectuals from across Africa adopted surprisingly common radical language, exhibiting a pent-up desire to jointly fight global neoliberalism. The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (Codesria) has been an extraordinary network for 5000 members who are the continent's core of progressive academics. The article provides a detailed recount and discussion of the various arguments and perspectives presented.
Further details: /newsletter/id/31531
Agreement Reached On IP And Public Health Resolution At WHO
Intellectual Property Watch, 27 May 2006: Gerhardsen, TIR
A technical group at the World Health Assembly in May agreed on a
resolution that will increase the worldwide research and development
focus on diseases that disproportionately affect developing
countries. Brazil and Kenya, which have been driving the issue,
welcomed the resolution,
COSATU memorandum on WTO handed to US embassy: Our World is Not For Sale
Congress of South African Trade Unions, 12 May 2006
The following memorandum was handed to His Excellency, Mr Donald Teitelbaum, Chargé d’Affaires, United States of America, on 10 May 2006, by COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary, Siphiwe Mgcina, at a picket of the embassy by COSATU members as part of the Jobs and Poverty Campaign. COSATU writes to bring to the reader's attention the potentially detrimental consequences of the memorandum to be faced by the various sectors in South Africa, and the rest of the countries in the South or the developing nations.
Intellectual property rules suit the wealthy
People\'s Health Movement, 14 May 2006: Ashton G
Recent media focus on intellectual property rules has led many to believe that the entire debate centers around the issues of piracy of films, videos and DVDs. There is a constant refrain that a watertight regime of intellectual property rules is essential to protect the rights of those who devised, developed and produced innovative goods, be it art or health cures. Under GATT and the WTO, the latter created in 1995, the rules protecting and harmonising intellectual property have been enhanced to principally benefit corporate and neo-colonial interests, under the Trade Related Intellectual Property (TRIPS) regime. TRIPS is extremely controversial in its failure to recognise traditional and communal knowledge systems and rights while at the same time insisting on strong protection, enforcement and regulation of corporate aligned intellectual property rules.
Lilly loses patent case that could shake up drug makers
The New York Times, 5 May 2006: Pollack A
In a verdict that could ripple across the pharmaceutical industry, a U.S. jury in a federal lawsuit has ruled that Eli Lilly infringed a patent covering drugs that work through one of the body's basic biological pathways. The patent, issued in 2002, is claimed to cover any drug that works by influencing the action of an important protein in the body. Some critics have said that patents covering an entire pathway in the body, as opposed to a particular drug, could hinder drug development.
The impact of free trade agreements on intellectual property standards in a post-TRIPS world
Bilaterals.org, 4 April 2006: Pastor R
This discussion paper seeks to determine the impact that bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) have both internationally and domestically on intellectual property regimes. In particular the paper looks at the impact this will have in countries that are net- importers of products related to IPR. It also highlights strategic approaches that different countries have used when tackling this problematic matter.
This year's Olle Hansson award to Dr K Bala
PHA Exchange, 22 May 2006
The Olle Hansson Award recognises the work of individuals from developing countries who have contributed most to promoting the concepts of essential drugs and their rational use and increasing the awareness among consumers of the dangers of irrational and hazardous drugs.
Africa 'not prepared' for bird flu
TRALAC-News
Africa needs the capacity and donor aid to react swiftly to deal with a potentially large-scale outbreak of bird flu, a conference of experts from 19 African countries heard yesterday. "Africa needs a rapid response to the disease and must draw up practical measures to control and prevent the disease," Malawi's Agriculture Minister, Uladi Mussa, said on the opening day of the conference in the capital, Lilongwe.
Amendment to the TRIPs Agreement: The issue of universal access
TRALAC Discussions: Kruger P
On the 6th of December 2006 the WTO General Counsel agreed to amend the TRIPs Agreement by permanently incorporating an earlier waiver. Paul Kruger, a TRALAC researcher, comments on the decision to "Amendment to the TRIPs Agreement: The issue of universal access".