The Synaptic Leap

The WHO world congress has wound up, and of the resolutions an important one with regards access to essential medicines is:

"In order to address the need for people in developing countries to access necessary medicines, vaccines and diagnostics, the Assembly also agreed to an intergovernmental working group open to all interested Member States to draw up a global strategy and plan of action in order to provide a medium-term framework based on the recommendations of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health. The working group shall report to the Sixtieth World Health Assembly on the progress made, giving particular attention to needs-driven research and other potential areas for early implementation action. The working group shall submit the final global strategy and plan of action to the Sixty-first World Health Assembly."

This follows a major report on the issue of access to medicines (such as praziquantel, featured in a TSL project) from the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health. I'm not clear on the legal recommendations (anyone like to distil the report?) but it is good to see movement at the highest levels.

I'll be addressing the current legal situation with regards praziquantel in a new post shortly, since that situation introduces the complication of whether it is possible to patent a single enantiomer of a previously-protected racemate.

Cheers,

Mat