Dear All,<div><br><div>Please see this sign-on letter by Third World Network addressed to WIPO regarding patents and public health. The Standing Committee on the Law of Patents is meeting next week and will discuss proposals under this agenda item; one by the Development Agenda Group and the African Group, and the other by the USA. </div>
<div><br></div><div>You are invited to sign and to share this email with other interested gro<font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">ups. Please </font><font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">send an email to </font><a href="mailto:sangeeta@twnetwork.org" target="_blank"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">sangeeta@twnetwork.org</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">or </font><a href="mailto:ssangeeta@myjaring.net" target="_blank"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">ssangeeta@myjaring.net</font></a><font class="Apple-style-span" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> by 21st May 2012. </font></div>
<div><br></div><div>Thanks very much.</div><div><br></div><div>Best wishes, </div><div>Heba<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">-------------------------------<br>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;text-align:center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;text-align:left"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:'Times New Roman'"><font size="3">Dear All, </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;text-align:left">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:'Times New Roman'"><font size="3"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;text-align:left"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:'Times New Roman'"><font size="3">Next week the WIPO Committee on Patents will meet. On the agenda is a proposal by the Development Agenda Group and the Africa Group on patents and public health. See </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b><a href="http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_18/scp_18_ref_scp_16_7.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_18/scp_18_ref_scp_16_7.pdf</a> </b>This proposal was submitted on May 2011. But at a subsequent session, the US submitted a proposal which makes outrageous statements on the issue of patents and public health. Basically US is claiming that patents do not adversely impact access to medicines; flexibilities particularly compulsory license do not promote public health, endorses voluntary approaches, and calls for a discussion on falsified and substandard medicines (an issue totally unrelated to patents) in the SCP. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The US proposal is available at: </font><span style="font-family:Calibri"><a href="http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_18/scp_18_ref_scp_17_11.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_18/scp_18_ref_scp_17_11.pdf</a></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><font size="3"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Thus some of us thought it would be a good idea to draft a letter in support of the DAG and Africa Group proposal and to oppose the US proposal. See the Open Letter below on this issue</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><b><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">If you (as an individual) or your organisation would like to support this letter, pls do send an email to <a href="mailto:sangeeta@twnetwork.org" target="_blank">sangeeta@twnetwork.org</a> </font><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman'">or <a href="mailto:ssangeeta@myjaring.net" target="_blank">ssangeeta@myjaring.net</a> by 21st May 2012. </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Regards</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Sangeeta Shashikant</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Third World Network</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:left"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;text-align:center">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">OPEN
LETTER TO WIPO MEMBER STATES ON PATENTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;text-align:center"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The undersigned civil
society organizations would like to express their support for the proposal on
patents and public health submitted to the Standing Committee on Patents (SCP)
by the Development Agenda Group (DAG) and the Africa Group (SCP/16/7). <u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The undersigned civil
society organizations would also like to express serious concerns with regard
to the US proposal on patents and public health contained in SCP/17/11 and
request the US to withdraw its proposal from the SCP. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We
are of the view that the US proposal is frivolous and aimed at trivialising the
impact of patents on access to medicines. In addition, several aspects of the
US proposals fall outside the mandate of the SCP and thus must not be accepted.
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The
US argues that a number of factors affect the availability of medicines in
developing countries. While this may be the case, the “price” factor can
singularly can be determinative of life or death, where a deadly disease istreatable.<span> </span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">In
the past decade, ARV prices have dropped from more than US$10,000 per person
per year (pppy) in 2000 to less than US$65 pppy today – improved first line
regimens costing US$24,972 in the US cost as little as $219 from generic
producers. These 99%+ cost-savings have made lifesaving drugs accessible tomillions of people, that by the end of 2010, 6.6 million people in low- andmiddle-income countries had access to ARV therapy compared to 300 000 in 2002. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">A
twenty-two-fold increase in ARV coverage was only possible due to competition
from suppliers of generic drugs principally from India, where the drugs were
not patented as India used transitional period flexibility under TRIPS. This
single example shows how the removal of patent barriers can have enormous
positive impact for access to medicines throughout the world.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The
US SCP proposal undermines the role of patent flexibilities particularly
compulsory licensing in improving access to affordable treatments. It is clear
that the US has deliberately chosen to ignore concrete evidence available today
on the positive impact of the use of public health relevant flexibilities on
public health.<a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn1" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref1" title=""><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The
case of India provides solid evidence on how the use of the transitional period
facilitated the availability of generic medicines, which in turn enabled massive
scaling up of HIV/AIDS treatment. Use of flexibilities such as pre-grant
opposition and prohibition on patenting of new uses of existing pharmaceuticals
available in India’s Patent Act has also facilitated access. For instance, in
2006, public-interest groups filed an opposition against GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK)’s application for a patent on Combivir arguing that the product is a
combination of two drugs in one pill and thus not deserving of a patent under
the Indian patent law. Following filing of the pre-grant opposition, GSK
withdrew its pending patent applications in India as well as in other countries
enabling improved access to generic versions of Combivir.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">A
number of countries have also used compulsory licensing to overcome the patent
barrier and improve access to medicines. This includes Malaysia, Zimbabwe,
Brazil, Thailand, and Indonesia and evidence available suggests that overall
the compulsory licenses led to availability of more affordable generic versions
of medicines in the country issuing the license.<a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn2" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref2" title=""><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Most
recently the Indian patent office granted a compulsory license to a local
manufacturer on Bayer's anti-cancer medicine sorafenib on the ground that the
patented drug was not available to the public at a reasonably affordable price.
The patented version costs US$5600 per month while the generic version produced
under the compulsory license would only costs US176, i.e. at a price reduced by
nearly 97%. As a result of the compulsory license other generic producers have
also slashed prices of other key cancer drugs by more than 50%. The compulsory
license clearly will improve access to affordable medicines for cancer patients
in India. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">In
view of this concrete evidence that is publicly known, it is indeed shameful
that the US government continues to question the role of patent flexibilities
to improve access to medicines. The importance of using flexibilities to
improve public health is recognized in various international instruments, to which
US is a party<a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn3" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref3" title=""><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>,
and yet the US continues to insist otherwise in its proposal to the SCP. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">To
support its proposition, the US </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">relies on WHO’s List of
Essential Medicines noting that patents presently protect only about 4% of the
medicines. It is a well-known fact</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"> that drugs for HIV/AIDS were only added
to the EML after extensive campaigning by AIDS activists and that the</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
W</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">HO
Model List is under-inclusive because it excludes many newer and more expensive
treatments that remain covered by patents, such as in the case of cancer
treatments. In addition, just because other factors, including health system
weaknesses, may affect access, this does not preclude the need to also address
patent barriers. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">In
fact, WHO itself has recognized that patents can impact access to medicines and
has issued/commissioned various publications on the matter that encourage the
use of TRIPS flexibilities to overcome the patent barrier.<a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn4" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref4" title=""><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The US also asserts that using flexibilities weakens patent
rights and that more medicines are made available if patent protection is
strong. We find this argument to be baseless particularly as no data has been
presented to support the co-relation between the use of flexibilities by low-
and middle-income countries and reduced incentive for development of new
products. Further it is now widely acknowledged that the existing incentivesystem is unable to address the R&D needs of many people living in
developing countries. Moreover just having a new drug available makes is of no
help if it is unaffordable to the majority of the patients that need the drug. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We also stress that sporadic voluntary approaches are simply
inadequate to address the access to medicines challenge facing developing
countries as these approaches depend on the willingness of the patent holder.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We are of the view that governments have a responsibility to
ensure that the access to medicines needs of its people is satisfied. Toward
this end governments should use the full range of options available to themincluding patent related flexibilities. In this regard it is worth recalling
the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health which states that the “TRIPS
Agreement does not and should not prevent Members from taking measures to
protect public health”. It also reaffirms the right of WTO member states to
grant compulsory licenses and the freedom to determine the grounds upon which
such licenses are granted, the right to determine what constitutes a national
emergency or other circumstances of extreme urgency (mentioned in Article 31 of
the TRIPS Agreement) and the freedom to determine its own regime of exhaustion
of rights.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">In
its proposal the US also calls for the SCP to address issues of falsified and
substandard medicines, in particular the extent to which such medicines hinder
the availability of genuine medicines, both generic and patented. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We
are of the view that the issue of falsified and substandard medicines has
absolutely NO connection whatsoever with patent issues and thus WIPO does not
have the mandate to discuss this issue. A pharmaceutical product is granted a
patent on the basis whether it fulfills the patentability criteria applied
nationally and not on the basis of quality and safety of medicines.<span> </span>Further the issue of availability of quality,
safe and effective medicines is the mandate of the WHO, wherein there are
on-going intergovernmental discussions on the issue of quality and safety of
medicines. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We
reiterate that the US proposal is frivolous and aimed at trivialising the issue
of the impact of patents on access to medicines. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">More
specifically we urge that Member States do not accept the specific proposals
made by the US, particularly proposals that invite WHO to make a presentation
in the SCP on non-patent barriers and on the effect of falsified medicines and
to study the issue of availability of unpatented medicines and factors
(unrelated to the patent system) that affect availability of medicines,
including the effect of falsified medicines. These proposals fall outside the
mandate of the SCP and thus should not be accepted. The appropriate forum for
these issues is the WHO and not WIPO. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Further
the study on the relationship between intellectual property, innovation andpublic health proposed by the US is one-sided as it focuses only on the
positive role of the patent systems. It should be noted that the WHO Commission
on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Public Health released a detailed
report in 2006 on the linkages between IP, innovation and public health.<a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn5" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref5" title=""><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
This report led to the adoption of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on
IP, Public Health, and Innovation in 2008. Thus any further work in this area
must build on the WHO outcomes. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">For the
reasons mentioned above, the undersigned organizations would like to call upon
the US to withdraw its proposal on patents and public health contained in
SCP/17/11. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">The
undersigned organizations would also like to express their support for the DAG
and the African Group proposal on patents and public health and call on allWIPO Member states including the US to support that proposal. Further WIPO
member states must <span> </span>make all efforts at
this SCP to agree to a work-plan as outlined in the DAG and African Group
proposal.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">We also encourage and call on all countries to
enact and use patent related flexibilities to support their public health
objectives. LDCs's should also seek further extensions of their transition
periods, especially with respect to pharmaceutical product patents and dataprotection. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Signatories<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Health
GAP<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Oxfam<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Third
World Network<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:12pt"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref1" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn1" title=""><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Cambria">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">See for e.g. South Centre/WHO. The use of
flexibilities in TRIPS by developing countries: can they promote access to
medicines? Geneva: South Centre/WHO, 2006; DOHA+ 10 TRIPS Flexibilities andAccess to Antiretroviral Therapy: Lessons from the Past, Opportunities for the
Future; UNAIDS Technical Brief 2011 available at
<a href="http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2011/JC2260_DOHA+10TRIPS_en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2011/JC2260_DOHA+10TRI
PS_en.pdf</a>.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref2" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn2" title=""><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Cambria">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">Country Experiences in Using TRIPS
Safeguards, WHO, 2008 available at</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;color:blue;font-family:'Times New Roman'"><a href="http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/IPT_Briefing_note_4_country_experiences.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/IPT_Briefing_note_4_country_experiences.pdf</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p><a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref3" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn3" title=""><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> See for instance the WHO Global Strategy
and Plan of Action on public health, innovation and intellectual property
(GSPOA) adopted by all WHO member states including the US in 2008 through
resolution WHA 61.21 states in para 12 that: “ International intellectual
property agreements contain flexibilities that could facilitate increased
access to pharmaceutical products by developing countries. However, developing
countries may face obstacles in the use of these flexibilities. These countries
may benefit, inter alia, from technical assistance.” See also the UNGA
Political Declaration on HIV/AIDs adopted in 2011<span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[3]</span></span></span></span><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p><a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref4" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn4" title=""><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> See </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.who.int/phi/publications/category_ip_trade/en/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">http://www.who.int/phi/publications/category_ip_trade/en/index.html</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> for a full list of WHO publications on
intellectual property and health.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p><a href="#1375b431f5cb5e11__ftnref5" name="1375b431f5cb5e11__ftn5" title=""><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"> See
<a href="http://www.who.int/intellectualproperty/documents/thereport/ENPublicHealthReport.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.who.int/intellectualproperty/documents/thereport/ENPublicHealthReport.pdf</a> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
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