[afro-nets] WHO Executive Board unable to move IP Group process

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

WHO Executive Board unable to move IP Group process
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From: Third World Network
http://www.twnside.org.sg

At the recent WHO's Executive Board meeting several developing-
country members have expressed concern at the lack of progress
and direction of the WHO Intergovernmental Working Group on
Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health.

The article below is reproduced with the permission of South-
North Development Monitor (SUNS) #6179, 30 January 2007.
WHO: Executive Board unable to reinvigorate IP Group process

By Sangeeta Shashikant, Geneva, 28 January 2007
[Excerpt]

Several developing-country members of the Executive Board of the
World Health Organisation have expressed concern and frustration
at the lack of progress and direction of a WHO group tasked with
charting the organisation's future action on intellectual
property, innovation and health.

These concerns were voiced at the WHO's Executive Board meeting
being held here on 22-30 January. At the end of the discussion
on the item last Friday, the frustration was even more palpable
because the Board itself could not seem to make any progress on
the issue.

Some developing-country delegations and NGOs that are closely
watching the process are now concerned that if the process is
not strengthened, little if anything concrete would be achieved
by the end of this year, when the WHO's Intergovernmental
Working Group on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health
(IGWG) is scheduled to meet for a second and possibly final
time.

At the formal session of the Board, Brazil described the
inaugural meeting of the IGWG last December as "ridiculous", and
"not an event that brings honour" to the WHO.

Kenya joined in to express disappointment. Thailand proposed a
plan of action to reinvigorate the process but no formal
decision was taken on it.

The developing countries and health-related NGOs have been
pinning their hopes on the IGWG to develop a new global strategy
and action plan to promote research and development and
innovation in medicines and health care, while also treating IPR
issues in a manner in which public health concerns take
priority.

However, it became clear at the Board meeting that developing
countries that have led this process are dissatisfied with the
process so far, especially the lack of concrete results at the
IGWG's inaugural meeting last December.

At the Board meeting last week, these countries called for a
strengthened and expedited process to ensure that the IGWG
produces a positive outcome this year. However, the Board
discussion ended without any substantive results, while the WHO
Secretariat announced its plans for this year's activities in
this area.