Monthly Archives: February 2012

Farmers’ Fight Of China FTA Could Be Biggest Yet

Source: www.wsj.com Farmers disrupt a public hearing on the South Korea-China free trade agreement, which was being held last Friday at the Coex convention center in Seoul. When South Korea started to negotiate a free trade agreement with the United … Continue reading

Posted in EU-Korea FTA, FTAs | Leave a comment

African IP Forum Postponed

The US Department of Commerce has announced it will postpone the controversial Africa IP Forum, and that “all stakeholders – in government, private business, the arts and the development community – are represented and engaged in the conference organization and … Continue reading

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New Novartis Supreme Court Date and Response to Novartis argumentation

UPDATE:  India’s Supreme Court today decided to re-schedule the final hearing of the Novartis vs. the Government of India case for 28 March 2012. The hearings were initially scheduled to start today (28 February), but the Mumbai terror attack trial … Continue reading

Posted in Indian Patent Law, Novartis Case, patent evergreening, Sec 3 (d) | Leave a comment

Bill C-398 to fix Canada’s law on compulsory licensing for export – 2 media items

February 22, 2012 Source: EMBASSY Magazine Another chance on access to medicines By Richard Elliott Every day, people in the so-called global South are suffering and dying from treatable illness because of high medicine prices and limited resources. When we … Continue reading

Posted in access to medicines, Generic drug, HIV/Aids, TB | Leave a comment

End the India-EU free trade talks

Monday, February 27, 2012 Source: www.thedailystar.net Rolls Royce, Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars to get cheaper for Indian millionaires? Premium Scotch whisky brands set to become more “affordable,” with import duty reduction from 150% to just 60%? More European cheese to … Continue reading

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What’s (still) wrong with ACTA, and why governments should reject the illegitimate agreement

Source: Knowledge Ecology International ACTA is an attempt to bypass multilateral institutions Negotiations on ACTA were formerly announced on October 23, 2007. The ACTA announcement came less than three weeks after the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the “Development Agenda,” … Continue reading

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Novartis launches renewed attack on India’s right to produce affordable medicines

23-Feb-2012 In 2006, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis launched a legal battle challenging India’s adoption of strict standards used to regulate patents on medicines. They argued that Section 3(d) of the recently amended Patents Act was ‘unconstitutional and violated international standards’ … Continue reading

Posted in Indian Patent Law, patent evergreening, Sec 3 (d) | Leave a comment

Update from India: Novartis Vs Government of India

The Novartis case is likely to be delayed from 28 February to March (date yet to be announced) due to the Mumbai terror attack trial running late in the Supreme Court. In addition, Court recess for Holi festival is scheduled … Continue reading

Posted in access to medicines, Novartis Case, Sec 3 (d) | Tagged | Leave a comment

UPDATE: NOVARTIS ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING: 23 February 2012

As shareholders of Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis met today in Basel. Novartis offices saw a lot of action. Health, HIV and public interest organizations in New York, Washington DC, Boston and in Basel itself protested in front of the Novartis … Continue reading

Posted in access to medicines, Indian Patent Law, Novartis Case, patent evergreening, Sec 3 (d) | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Novartis seeks predictable interpretation of law in high octane Indian Glivec case

22 February 2012 14:43 The crucial Indian patent case concerning Novartis’ anticancer Glivec (imatinib mesylate) and its rejection due to Section 3(d), a controversial provision in India’s patent law, comes up for hearing next week, amid hope and concern for … Continue reading

Posted in access to medicines, HIV/Aids, Indian Patent Law, intellectual property training, IP Rights, Novartis Case, Tuberculosis and Malaria | 2 Comments