E-DRUG: WHO workshop on IP rights and vaccines in developing countries
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The importance of vaccines and immunization for public health is widely
recognized. However, the debate on intellectual property and access to
pharmaceuticals has developed with relatively few references to vaccines.
Questions such as:
- How does intellectual property affect access to vaccines in developing
countries ?
- What will be the impact of the 2005 deadline on developing country vaccine
manufacturers (an increasingly important part of global vaccine supply) ?
- Does IP protection stimulate R&D for vaccines needed in developing
countries ?
- What IP issues do Public Private Partnerships developing vaccines
encounter ?
were discussed at a workshop on Intellectual Property Rights and Vaccines in
Developing Countries in Geneva organized by WHO's Immunization, Vaccines and
Biologicals Department on 19-20 April 2004. The meeting was primarily an
opportunity for the participants (representing OECD and developing country
manufacturers, public-private partnerships in vaccine R&D, public sector
research institutions, international organizations and NGOs) to exchange
views and share their experiences on a potentially controversial but
relatively unexplored topic.
Presentations given during the meeting and the meeting report can now be
accessed at the following address:
http://www.who.int/intellectualproperty/events/vaccines_meeting/en/
For more information contact:
Mr Miloud Kaddar
World Health Organization
Access to Technologies
Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals
Telephone: +41 22 791 1436
Email: kaddarm@who.int