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Home | News | WHO launches international IP commission
WHO launches international IP commission
Friday, 27 February 2004The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced details of a new commission that aims to analyse how intellectual property rights affect the creation of new health drugs in developing nations.
The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH) will primarily address the effect of IP rights on those drugs intended to tackle diseases of poverty, working to ascertain how best to develop and distribute them without infringing IP laws.
It will be led by Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, with a number of Leading economists, lawyers, medics, industry representatives and scientists from across the globe constituting the remainder of the committee. Vice chair has been confirmed as being R.A. Mashelkar, director-general of India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The pharmaceutical industry, renowned or taking a firm stance on IP issues, has welcomed the announcement of the new Commission.
According to SciDev a statement from the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations says that the Commission is "soundly positioned to delve into issues of intellectual property, its interfaces and linkages with pharmaceutical innovation and public health".
The first task of the CIPIH will be to review existing research, development and innovation efforts directed at diseases that affect the poor and examine how effectively international IP regimes are stimulating research into new medicines.
The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH) will primarily address the effect of IP rights on those drugs intended to tackle diseases of poverty, working to ascertain how best to develop and distribute them without infringing IP laws.
It will be led by Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, with a number of Leading economists, lawyers, medics, industry representatives and scientists from across the globe constituting the remainder of the committee. Vice chair has been confirmed as being R.A. Mashelkar, director-general of India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The pharmaceutical industry, renowned or taking a firm stance on IP issues, has welcomed the announcement of the new Commission.
According to SciDev a statement from the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations says that the Commission is "soundly positioned to delve into issues of intellectual property, its interfaces and linkages with pharmaceutical innovation and public health".
The first task of the CIPIH will be to review existing research, development and innovation efforts directed at diseases that affect the poor and examine how effectively international IP regimes are stimulating research into new medicines.