Advocating for a world where intellectual
property law serves the public interest.

USTR Blog on IPR and Access to Medicine in the TPP Does Not Address the Provisions that Block Generic Competition

In advance of the XIX International AIDS Conference, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk wrote a blog about the Trans Pacific Partnership and access to medicine. He stresses that his office has received input on IPR issues from “all sides of the issue” and are working hard to find a balance between protecting IPR and ensuring […]

BNA reports two stories on collecting societies in Europe

In Germany, nightclubs will face higher royalty payments when a new policy by the collecting society Gesellschaft für Musikalische Aufführung (GEMA) takes effect on January 1. The new fees will be based on the size of the venue and the price of admission, but not on the attendence of events. Some estimate that the new […]

Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Act of 2012 Introduced, Aims to Protect Flexible IP Policies that Promote Access to Medicines

Last night, Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced the Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Act of 2012 (HR 6138). One section of the bill aims at protecting the use of flexible intellectual property policies allowing access to medicines in low and middle income countries, by preventing the U.S. government from using trade policy to attack these policies. The […]

Civil Society Statement on Exceptions and Limitations for Education at the WIPO 24th SCCR

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF. Joint Statement signed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Knowledge Ecology International, Grupo de Pesquisa em Políticas Públicas para o Acesso à Informação-USP, Public Knowledge, the International Federation of Library Associations, Electronic Information for Libraries, Centrum Cyfrowe, Instituto Brasilelro de Defesa do Consumidor, European Law Students Association, Centre for Internet […]

Mexican Legislature Passes Two Resolutions Opposing the Executive’s Signing of ACTA

The Mexican Senate and House of Representatives have passed resolutions calling for the President to reverse the signing of ACTA. The Senate resolution, sponsored by Sens. Francisco Javier Castellón Fonseca, Carlos Sotelo García, María Beatriz Zavala Peniche, and Dip. Rodrigo Pérez-Alonso Gonzále rejects the signing because it didn’t respect Mexican law on the approval of […]

Thai Civil Society Groups Oppose Patent Application for HIV/AIDS Treatment

A coalition of Thai civil society groups has written a letter opposing Gilead’s patents for the fixed-dose combination of AVR tenofovir and emtricitaine (TDF+FTC, sold under the brand name Truvada), an important first-line therapy for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The letter opposes the granting of the patent because it would not meet the criteria for […]