Offline: ACT-A—ça suffit thelancet.com/journals/lance… "What was WHO thinking when it co-created ACT-A? WHO is now promising a new medical countermeasures platform to be in prototype by April and operational by September. There is a general, if not publicly acknowledged, agreement that ACT-A needs to be terminated."

WHO countries are meeting in South Africa to discuss a potential new medical countermeasures platform. REHASHING ACT-A?
pro.politico.eu/news/politico-… "For months, there have been questions about whether those behind the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX would seek to implement a permanent version of the mechanism that attempted to get COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests to the world."

Proposal by the Bureau regarding modalities for consideration of the proposed amendments to the @WHO International Health Regulations (2005) @WHO @mradamtaylor @gabrielletf @jamie_love @KatPerehudoff @kaitlinemara @ellenthoen @piotrjankol "It is proposed that drafting sessions will be held with attendance limited to: Member States; Associate Members; regional economic integration organizations; the Holy See and Liechtenstein in their capacity as States Parties to the IHR that are not Member States of WHO;" (1/2)

HUMIRA PRICING LAWSUIT
pro.politico.eu/news/politico-… @StichtingFTV @StichtingFTV "The Dutch Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation (PAF) is suing U.S. pharmaceutical company AbbVie in the Amsterdam District Court over what it claims is unfair pricing practices for its blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug Humira."

Biden declines to veto Apple Watch ban
thehill.com/policy/technol… "President Biden has upheld an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling that could result in an import ban on the Apple Watch, according to AliveCor, a medical device company that has accused Apple of patent infringement."

Biden admin won't veto ITC's Apple Watch import ban ruling reuters.com/technology/bid… "The Biden Administration will not overrule a U.S. International Trade Commission decision that could block imports of Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) Apple Watches for infringing AliveCor Inc patents related to heart monitoring, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Tuesday."

@WHO INB modalities #pandemictreaty @WHO @jamie_love @KatPerehudoff @ellenthoen @mradamtaylor @jriggers @donatopmancini "During each meeting, it is proposed that, further to the drafting group modalities agreed at INB3, the drafting group proceed by having the text of each chapter displayed on screen, in the English language."

China’s Newest Weapon to Nab Western Technology—Its Courts wsj.com/articles/u-s-c…? "In December, the EU sued China in the World Trade Organization on behalf of Swedish telecom-equipment maker Ericsson AB and other companies, complaining that China has barred EU companies from suing to protect their patents in courts outside China."

Biden admin spars with Moderna over international vaccine donations politico.com/news/2021/10/0… "Vaccine maker Moderna is resisting pressure from the White House to increase international donations of its Covid-19 shot in 2022, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter."

A fraying system -In global trade, power increasingly trumps rules economist.com/special-report… "Over the past few years, even as China has defied the spirit, if not the letter, of the WTO’s rules, America has also broken the organisation’s dispute-settlement mechanism, brandished tariffs against allies and imposed trade restrictions for national security."

In search of resilience economist.com/special-report… "When covid-19 led to a scramble for face masks, Lloyd Armbrust saw America’s shortage as “a really dumb problem to have”. But after his company’s first face mask came off the production line in Austin, Texas, he faced problems of his own."

GAVI, Unitaid and the Global Fund welcome WHO recommendation for world’s first malaria vaccine unitaid.org/news-blog/who-… "Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, global health agency Unitaid and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcome the WHO recommendation for wider routine use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine."

#WIPOGA "The United States continues to support updating protection for broadcasting organizations in the digital age." @Manon_Ress @doctorow @jamie_love @Sean_Fiil_Flynn United States: "Given the complexity of the issues, both legally and technologically, we also note that delegations are taking the time needed to deliberate on these complex questions."

@WIPO DDG Forbin: "We have noticed that the momentum that we have built up concerning the draft treaty on broadcasting - let's say before the hiatus of our normal working methods - well that momentum, and I am pleased to say this is still there." #WIPOGA @WIPO @IFLA @T_Hackett @Manon_Ress @doctorow "All of the reactions, even the concerns that were voiced by some people, not many, shows that this momentum is still there." @jamie_love @KEI_DC

WIPO General Assembly 2021: KEI statement on the Report on the SCCR keionline.org/36723 #WIPOGA @KEI_DC @Manon_Ress @jamie_love @dswyber @creativecommons @IFLA "KEI opposes any further work on a broadcast treaty, given confusion over objectives of the treaty, and proposals to provide effective perpetual rights to broadcasters for content that they do not create, own or license." @doctorow

General Statement of Australia at the #WIPOGeneralAssembly - 4 October 2021 wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/go… "Australia acknowledges the significant and devastating impact that COVID-19 continues to have on communities around the world, affecting both lives and livelihoods."

.@WTO TRIPS Council (6 July 2021) - Request from the European Union to China pursuant to Article 63.3 of the TRIPS Agreement - EU requests clarification regarding judicial decisions involving standards essential patents and "anti-suit injunctions". @wto @sunil_abraham @jamie_love @doctorow @Manon_Ress @Correa_CEIDIE @doctorsumitseth @howardknopf @kei_kathryn @abinader @innovarteorg "In the interest of further transparency the European Union would like to request some information regarding a number of recent judicial decisions and regulations relating to patents."

Big Pharma Quietly Pushes Back on Global Tax Deal, Citing Covid-19 Role - Drug companies mobilize in D.C., arguing competitiveness and agility are at stake wsj.com/articles/big-p… "Big drug companies and their lobbyists have a message for Congress: Don’t raise taxes on the industry that brought you fast-tracked Covid-19 vaccines." @pchowla @Anna_Marriott