E-DRUG: MSF launches: Revising TRIPS for Public Health: An Ideas Contest
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Dear All,
On the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the Doha Declaration, MSF is
launching an 'Ideas Contest' on how to revise TRIPS so that it genuinely
meets global public health needs.
Contestants are asked to respond to the following question:
QUESTION: Can TRIPS be reformed to meet public health needs?
If YES, describe your idea for how the treaty should be changed.
If NO, explain why not, and propose an alternative.
Contestants: Anyone is eligible to submit an entry, either as an
individual, a team, and/or on behalf of an institution.
The contest seeks to attract ideas from around the world from creative thinkers who may be
academics, students, activists, analysts, government officials,
journalists, or from the private sector.
Submissions from low- and middle-income countries are particularly encouraged.
Submissions:
Option 1: A written essay of 500-1000 words (excluding footnotes and
references),
--OR--
Option 2: An audio visual entry: video, audio, slideshow or photofilm of no
more than 5 minutes
Submissions should succinctly describe a proposal to change (revise, amend,
clarify, re-interpret, re-negotiate, opt-out, discard) the TRIPS Agreement
so that it is conducive to global public health.
Entries should be submitted in English, or in any another language along with an English
translation.
The submissions may refer to longer descriptions of reform
proposals (e.g. articles, proposals, previously published work, etc), but
must contain the key arguments for and description of the proposal within
the 1000 word/5 minute limit.
Judging: A panel of judges will choose the best 4 submissions, based on the
following criteria:
Effectiveness in achieving public health objectives
Creativity and originality
Clarity of logic and argumentation
Note: âpolitical feasibilityâ will not be a criteria, since a key
contest objective is to generate unconstrained and creative new
thinking
Prize:
Winners will receive a trip to Geneva - to present their idea on a panel at
the Doha + 10 Conference being organized by MSF in November 2011.
The conference is expected to attract attendees from government representatives
from developing and industrialized countries, intergovernmental
organizations (e.g. WTO, WHO, WIPO), civil society, academia, and the
private sector. (If a team is chosen as a winner, the team should
designate one representative to attend the conference.)
MSF will publish and publicize winning entries and shortlisted submissions
on its website. Winning submissions may also be published in a journal
(TBD). All contestants will have the option of having their submission
made publicly available in an online archive after the contest ends.
Deadline:
Submissions must be received by 8am CET, Monday, 19 September 2011.
Winners will be notified by 10 October 2011.
For submissions to be considered they must be accompanied by a completed submission form which is to be sent by email to DohaPlusTen@paris.msf.org
For full details please visit:
http://www.msfaccess.org/main/access-patents/revising-trips-for-public-health-an-ideas-contest-from-msf/
Katy
Katy Athersuch
Medical Innovation & Access Policy Adviser
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Rue de Lausanne 78
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Katy.ATHERSUCH@geneva.msf.org