PHA-Exchange> WHO Executive Board unable to move IP Group process

[Claudio]

From: Third World Network 
www.twnside.org.sg
 



At the recent WHO's Executive Board meeting several developing-country members have expressed concern at the lack of progress and direction of the WHO Intergovernmental Working Group on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health.

 

The article below is reproduced with the permission of South-North Development Monitor (SUNS) #6179, 30 January 2007.

WHO: Executive Board unable to reinvigorate IP Group process

 

By Sangeeta Shashikant, Geneva, 28 January 2007

[Excerpt] 

 

Several developing-country members of the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation have expressed concern and frustration at the lack of progress and direction of a WHO group tasked with charting the organisation's future action on intellectual property, innovation and health.

 

These concerns were voiced at the WHO's Executive Board meeting being held here on 22-30 January. At the end of the discussion on the item last Friday, the frustration was even more palpable because the Board itself could not seem to make any progress on the issue.

 

Some developing-country delegations and NGOs that are closely watching the process are now concerned that if the process is not strengthened, little if anything concrete would be achieved by the end of this year, when the WHO's Intergovernmental Working Group on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health (IGWG) is scheduled to meet for a second and possibly final time.

 

At the formal session of the Board, Brazil described the inaugural meeting of the IGWG last December as "ridiculous", and "not an event that brings honour" to the WHO.

 

Kenya joined in to express disappointment. Thailand proposed a plan of action to reinvigorate the process but no formal decision was taken on it.

 

The developing countries and health-related NGOs have been pinning their hopes on the IGWG to develop a new global strategy and action plan to promote research and development and innovation in medicines and health care, while also treating IPR issues in a manner in which public health concerns take priority.

 

However, it became clear at the Board meeting that developing countries that have led this process are dissatisfied with the process so far, especially the lack of concrete results at the IGWG's inaugural meeting last December.

 

At the Board meeting last week, these countries called for a strengthened and expedited process to ensure that the IGWG produces a positive outcome this year. However, the Board discussion ended without any substantive results, while the WHO Secretariat announced its plans for this year's activities in this area.

 


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