Author: david

ECJ outlaws private copying levy

OUT-LAW News, 21/10/2010 Private copying levies on blank CDs, MP3 players and other digital media are allowed under EU copyright law but only when charged on goods sold to individuals and not those sold to companies, the European Court of…

Second-hand clothes for legislation laundering

European Commission admits use of second-hand impact study for ACTA legislation laundering It seems that the “copy and paste” and “one-stop laundry” habits are hard to kick. Under pressure from a European Parliament resolution and a written declaration which both…

Put your patents where your mouths are

TACD HAILS THE FIRST DRUG LICENSE GIVEN TO UNITAID: NOW BIG PHARMA AND BIG GOVERNMENT MUST PUT THEIR PATENTS WHERE THEIR MOUTHS ARE The TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), that represents 20 million consumers from 18 countries, salutes the practical beginning…

“I just called to say I want to read”

Running away from Stevie Wonder in Geneva Stevie Wonder spoke and sang before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly this week in Geneva in favour of ending the “book famine” for the visually impaired.  He passionately challenged the…

ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICINES

ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICINES: AWARDING PRIZES FOR DRUG INNOVATION AS A WAY OF ENDING WASTEFUL MONOPOLIES THAT PREVENT AFFORDABLE MEDICINES “The current system is incredibly wasteful and constantly gamed by Big Pharma. The prize fund approach would…