For those who happen to find themselves in Geneva in two-weeks time, WIPO is presenting a 1.5 hour program on pharmaceutical licensing. Titled “WIPO Global Challenges Seminar on Licensing and Prices: New Approaches in the Pharmaceutical Sector,” the program aims to share new breakthroughs in “the field of IP licensing and pricing in the pharmaceutical sector.” Afro Leo hopes these breakthroughs in licensing and pricing increase access to much needed medicines like ARVs, and that looks likely.
The speaker list:
- Dr. Chan Park, Executive Director ad interim of the World Health Organization’s UNITAID Medicines Patent Pool. Dr. Park presented an idea to WHO back in 2010 (pdf, p. 6) that outlined the Medicines Patent Pool’s goal of increasing the development of fixed dose medicine combinations through the creation of a large patent pool. Perhaps Dr. Park will share some updates on this project.
- Mr. Shailesh Pednekar, General Manager, ARV Business and Global Therapy Management, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited. Mr. Pednekar has been involved in research related to the costs of and access limitations to ARVs for some years, and Africa has been a big part of that work.
- Mr. Gregg Alton, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Medical Affairs, Gilead Sciences. Mr. Alton hails form this Little Leo’s current stomping ground in the San Francisco Bay Area. Like the Medicines Patent Pool and Ranbaxy Laboratories, one of Gilead’s main focus areas is treating HIV/AIDS.
With these speakers on the bill, this program is sure to tackle many issues relevant for IP in Africa. If any readers are able to attend the program, please let us know how it goes!
Full meeting details here: http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/2012/wipo_gc_lic_ge_12/index.html (Afro-Leo could find nothing on cost)
Registration here: http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/registration/form.jsp?meeting_id=26822
