PHM-Exch> Training Papers: Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines: An Introduction to Key Issues

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: South Centre <south at southcentre.int>


View this email in your browser
<https://mailchi.mp/southcentre/training-paper-intellectual-property-and-access-to-medicines-an-introduction-to-key-issues?e=4fac633f11>


  *Announcing the New Series Training Papers from the South Centre*


*Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines: An Introduction to Key
Issues – *
*Some Basic Terms and Concepts*


South Centre Training Paper No. 1

December 2019

31 pages

English

The South Centre is pleased to announce its new series *Training Papers *and
the publication of its first issue *“**Intellectual Property and Access to
Medicines: An Introduction to Key Issues – Some Basic Terms and Concepts**”*
 by *Germán Velásquez, *Special Adviser, Health and Policy of the South
Centre.

Intellectual property and patents in particular, have become one of the
most debated issues on access to medicines, since the creation of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and the coming into force of the Agreement on
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Patents are
by no means the only barriers to access to life-saving medicines, but they
can play a significant, or even determinant, role. During the term of
patent protection, the patent holder’s ability to determine prices, in the
absence of competition, can result in the medicine being unaffordable to
the majority of people living in developing countries. This first issue of
the “South Centre Training Materials” aims, in its first part, to provide
an introduction to key issues in the field of access to medicines and
intellectual property. The second part describes and defines some basic
terms and concepts of this relatively new area of pharmaceuticals policies
which are the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights that
regulate the research, development and supply of medicines and health
technologies in general.

*La propiedad intelectual y las patentes en particular, se han convertido
en uno de los temas más debatidos sobre el acceso a los medicamentos, desde
la creación de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) y la entrada en
vigor del Acuerdo sobre los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio (ADPIC). Las patentes no son de
ninguna manera las únicas barreras para el acceso a medicamentos que salvan
vidas, pero pueden desempeñar un papel significativo, o incluso
determinante. Durante el período de protección de la patente, la capacidad
del titular de la patente para determinar los precios, en ausencia de
competencia, puede hacer que el medicamento resulte inalcanzable para la
mayoría de las personas que viven en los países en desarrollo. Este primer
número del “South Centre Training Materials” pretende, en su primera parte,
ofrecer una introducción a cuestiones clave en el ámbito del acceso a los
medicamentos y la propiedad intelectual. La segunda parte describe y define
algunos términos y conceptos básicos de esta área relativamente nueva de
las políticas farmacéuticas, que son los aspectos comerciales de los
derechos de propiedad intelectual que regulan la investigación, el
desarrollo y el suministro de medicamentos y las tecnologías sanitarias en
general.*

*La propriété intellectuelle et les brevets en particulier sont devenus
l’une des questions les plus débattues sur l’accès aux médicaments, depuis
la création de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) et l’entrée en
vigueur de l’Accord sur les aspects des droits de propriété intellectuelle
qui touchent au commerce (ADPIC). Les brevets ne sont nullement les seuls
obstacles à l’accès aux médicaments qui sauvent des vies, mais ils peuvent
jouer un rôle important, voire déterminant. Pendant la durée de protection
d’un brevet, la capacité du titulaire du brevet à déterminer les prix, en
l’absence de concurrence, peut faire en sorte que le médicament soit
inabordable pour la majorité des personnes vivant dans les pays en
développement. Ce premier numéro du “South Centre Training Materials” vise,
dans sa première partie, à fournir une introduction aux questions clés dans
le domaine de l’accès aux médicaments et de la propriété intellectuelle. La
deuxième partie décrit et définit certains termes et concepts de base de ce
domaine relativement nouveau des politiques pharmaceutiques, qui sont les
aspects liés au commerce des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui
régissent la recherche, le développement et la fourniture de médicaments et
les technologies de la santé en général.*

The “South Centre Training Materials” is a new series of documents designed
to support South Centre training workshops and seminars in developing
countries to improve access to medicines. Improving equity in access to
medicines is an essential part of the realization of government
responsibilities with regard to the right to health, a fundamental human
right legally recognized by many governments.

The South Centre offers diverse trainings and workshops to developing
countries aimed at improving access to medicines by introducing a public
health perspective in the management of intellectual property rights in the
pharmaceutical sector.

The South Centre aims to support developing countries governments to be
better equipped to adapt their IPR regimes –policies, laws, regulations and
practices–, to improve the availability and affordability of essential
medicines.

These training materials will be used by the South Centre in its project “A
public health approach to intellectual property rights” but they will be
available to governments, agencies and institutions carrying out training
of various kinds, to improve access to medicines as a fundamental component
of universal health coverage.

To access the training paper directly, go to this webpage:
https://www.southcentre.int/training-paper-1-december-2019/
<https://southcentre.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa9cf38799136b5660f367ba6&id=7eda3c1a9f&e=4fac633f11>

To access the South Centre website, where you can also find
other publications and news items, go to this webpage:
http://www.southcentre.int
<https://southcentre.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa9cf38799136b5660f367ba6&id=172851acc6&e=4fac633f11>
.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://phm.phmovement.org/pipermail/phm-exchange-phmovement.org/attachments/20191204/b60c1459/attachment.html>