E-drug: Workshop announcement
---------------------------------------------
It appears this was not posted to E-DRUG earlier. People who are
interested in attending this event may contact me.
Jamie Love <love@cptech.org>
-----------
Workshop on Intellectual Property, Health Care and International Trade
Agreements
May 7-8, 1998, Washington, DC
There will be a workshop on Intellectual Property and Health Care in
Washington, DC, on May 7 and 8, 1998. The purpose of the workshop
will be to discuss several current and developing controversies
regarding intellectual property in international trade agreements, as it
relates to public health. The final workshop agenda is open for change,
based upon suggestions from workshop participants. The present plan
is to begin with discussions on several specific disputes on IP and
health care, hearing from experts or stakeholders from academia,
government, industry, public health and consumer organizations. This
will be followed by discussions regarding strategies for advocacy by
non-governmental organizations. I will briefly elaborate these two
aspects of the meetings.
I Specific IP issues to be addressed:
1. Parallel imports
Include discussion of current disputes in South Africa, Equator and
elsewhere concerning parallel imports of pharmaceutical drugs.
2. Scope of "Second Use" Patents
New Zealand is considering new patent law provisions for "second
uses" of pharmaceutical drugs. The United States recently enacted
legislation which precludes enforcement of surgical patents, and there
are new disputes in the United States and elsewhere over patents of
treatment regimes (as the "dose" patents which prevent generic
versions of Taxol from entering the U.S. market). Issues relating
to"evergreening" patents.
3. Emerging issues gene research?
Should genes be patented? What safeguards are needed?
4. Unfair competition protection for health registration data?
How do laws differ by country, and why? How do these provisions
create barriers to competition for government funded inventions? Will
the EC reduce protection once GATT patent provisions are implemented
in Spain and elsewhere? Are current systems excessive? What
safeguards against abuses are needed. What should be the standard
for protection under Article 39 of the TRIPS?
5. Disclosure of health registration data.
What should be international norms regarding disclosure of evidence
submitted to obtain approval for pharmaceutical drugs?
6. Disclosures of economic data on pricing and R&D expenditures.
Can consumers and public health community evaluate industry
assertions regarding R&D investments without better public disclosure
of economic data?
7. Compulsory licensing.
Are TRIPS and NAFTA models too restrictive? Will the MAI foreclose all
but antitrust actions in this area? How important will compulsory
licensing be in new areas of biotechnology?
8. Effect on new sui generis database laws on health care research.
Are health care experts aware of sweeping impacts of new "database"
protection laws?
9. Alternative methods of R&D support.
What are the alternatives policy methods to promote health care R&D?
Should countries be free to choose alternatives which rely more on
public funding or mandatory R&D investments? Should the TRIPS focus
more on burden sharing for R&D or private sector property rights?
10. Trademark Rights
How are trademark provisions in International trade agreements being
used to frustrate public health initiatives in the areas of regulation of
marketing for smoking and infant formula, or the promotion of generic
drugs?
11. Differential regimes for developing countries
In which ways should International trade agreements deal with very
large differences in ability to pay for health care R&D. Should GATT
rules be "one size fits all?"
II Organizing Strategies
1. What the forums for international policy making on these topics.
2. Which consumer and public health groups are active on these
topics.
3. How can public health and consumer groups have more power in
new International Trade forums?
4. Can public health and consumer groups put forward a concrete
alternative agenda for TRIPS revisions?
------------
More details soon.
James Love
Consumer Project on Technology
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
love@cptech.org | http://www.cptech.org
voice 202.387.8030, fax 202.234.5176
--
Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.
Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'.
For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.