World agrees pandemic accord for tackling outbreaks of disease
Hailed as ‘a victory for public health,’ the agreement aims to build on the lessons of Covid-19 and protect the globe from pathogenic threats.
#access2meds #pandemictreaty #health #covid19 #thenextpandemic #WHO
‘Pandemic potential’ on our doorstep
Australia is “surrounded” by the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. And it is morphing as sea animals and birds bring it ever closer to these shores. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-18/antarctica-avian-flu-h5n1-evolution-pandemic-potential/105271154 #flu #influenza #biodiversity #pandemic #access2meds #pandemictreaty
The World Health Organization has been thrown into crisis by Trump’s order directing the US to withdraw from the agency https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/05/14/dr-mike-ryan-is-dropped-from-who-executive-team-amid-painful-cost-cuts/ Dr Mike Ryan is dropped from WHO executive team amid ‘painful’ cost cuts. Dr Ryan has been managing health emergencies in WHO for the past 27 years, and most recently led WHO’s emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic. #health #access2meds #WHO #pandemics
'The World Health Organization (WHO) and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) have... announced a sublicensing agreement between MPP and a Nigerian health technology company – Codix Bio – to start development and manufacturing of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) using technology transferred from global in-vitro diagnostics company – SD Biosensor (SDB). This agreement will contribute to advancing equitable access to vital diagnostic tools through local production, expanding manufacturing capacity in the African Region.' https://www.who.int/news/item/09-05-2025-who-and-medicines-patent-pool-announce-sublicensing-agreement-for-rapid-diagnostic-test-technology #patent #patentpools #access2meds
Matthew Rimmer, ‘The Summit of the Future: Intellectual Property and the Sustainable Development Goals’, The Summit of the Future, QUT Energy Transition Centre, 29 November 2024, https://youtu.be/ao9QTmd-8zE #SDGs #Summitofthefuture #OpenInnovation #IndigenousIP #access2meds
Countries finalize historic pandemic agreement after three years of negotiations
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162301
#pandemictreaty #WHO #access2meds
‘Half the place would be blown to bits’: the Irish villages under threat from Trump’s tariffs https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/09/half-the-place-would-be-blown-to-bits-the-irish-villages-under-threat-from-trumps-tariffs #trade #tariffs #tax #access2meds
Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it https://theconversation.com/trump-has-australias-generic-medicines-in-his-sights-and-no-ones-talking-about-it-253836 #patent #access2meds #trade #auspol #uspol #auslaw
Trump flags ‘major tariff on pharmaceuticals’ as trade chief says US ‘running up score’ on Australia https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/09/donald-trump-flags-major-tariff-on-pharmaceuticals-as-us-senator-criticises-whack-on-australia
US president says he will shortly announce the new tariff on pharmaceuticals but does not give any details. #trade #access2meds #tariffs
Albanese tells Trump that Australia is ‘not negotiating’ on biosecurity, medicines and news https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/01/australia-us-trump-tariffs-albanese-biosecurity-medicine
Office of US trade representative releases report on ‘foreign trade barriers’ including Australia’s biosecurity regime for imported beef, pork and poultry #trade #auslaw #auspol #uslaw #uspol #AUSFTA #access2meds #agriculture #media
The European Patent Office declared a patent owned by CureVac valid, after a challenge from drugmaker BioNTech, the company said https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/european-patent-office-declares-curevac-222223670.html #patent #COVID19 #access2meds
Big pharma is taking aim at Australia’s PBS. Could Trump force us to pay more for medicines? https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/22/us-pharma-trump-australia-pbs-explainer #patent #access2meds #auspol #uspol #IP #health
'For a nation at the forefront of medical innovation and drug manufacture, vast numbers of Americans simply can't afford to access to vital medicines.' https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/behind-americas-decades-long-fight-to-dismantle-the-pbs/105078864 #patent #access2meds #auspol #uspol #IP #health
Labor and Coalition vow PBS will not be bargained over in US trade war
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-20/labor-coalition-vow-pbs-safe-tariff-trump-war/105074484 #PBS #access2meds #patent #auspol #uspol
Big pharma’s plea to Trump to punish Australia for cheaper medicines https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/big-pharma-plea-to-trump-to-punish-australia-for-cheaper-medicines-20250319-p5lko1.html #PBS #access2meds #patent #auspol #uspol
Australia defends Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme as US companies urge Trump to impose reciprocal tariffs https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-19/australia-defends-pbs-us-pharma-urges-reciprocal-tariffs/105072750 #IP #trade #health #PBS #tariffs #access2meds
Pfizer, BioNTech notch US win—and loss in Germany—amid high-stakes patent fight with Moderna https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizer-biontech-notch-us-win-and-loss-germany-amid-high-stakes-patent-fight-moderna #patent #COVID19 #access2meds
German court rules Pfizer, BioNTech violated Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine patent https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/german-court-rules-pfizer-biontech-violated-modernas-covid-19-vaccine-patent-2025-03-05/
'In a statement, the court in the city of Duesseldorf said that Pfizer and BioNTech would have to provide information on earnings derived from the use of the patent and that they owe Moderna appropriate compensation, though the ruling can still be appealed to a higher court.
The court added that Pfizer and BioNTech had argued they were authorised by a press release from Moderna to use the technology behind the patent until the World Health Organization declared in May 2023 that COVID-19 was no longer a global health emergency.'
Pfizer, BioNTech convinces US Patent Office to cancel two Moderna COVID-19 vaccine patents
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/pfizer-convinces-us-patent-office-cancel-two-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-patents-2025-03-05/
The cases are BioNTech SE v. ModernaTX Inc, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, Nos. IPR2023-01358 and IPR2023-01359. #patent #COVID19 #access2meds
'A bloodbath': HIV field is reeling after billions in U.S. funding are axed
https://www.science.org/content/article/bloodbath-hiv-field-reeling-after-billions-u-s-funding-axed
USAID's promises to support lifesaving efforts are broken, putting millions
in peril #access2meds #HIV #AIDS #UNAIDS
