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Activists Make Concerns Heard at African IP Forum — Minister Davies Responds —

27 February, MIDRAND – Yesterday, TAC activists picketed at the Africa Intellectual Property (IP) Forum and handed over a memorandum to Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry, before his keynote address. Activists were demanding that the draft IP policy, that will lead to patent law reform, be made public. Minister Davies responded that the […]

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On eve of ‘Africa IP Forum’, TAC and MSF ask Minister Rob Davies: “Patent law reform is long overdue, where are your proposals?”

        JOHANNESBURG, 25 February – This week the South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sponsors a high-level forum to discuss harnessing intellectual property (IP) to encourage African economic development and prosperity. Yet the DTI’s own new draft Policy on Intellectual Property still languishes out of sight and mind for most […]

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TAC calls on the Department of Trade and Industry to submit the IP policy to Cabinet at its next sitting in January 2013

For years, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been drafting an intellectual property (IP) policy that reviews all IP-related legislation in South Africa. Noting with concern the high price of medicines in South Africa, TAC has closely followed the DTI’s development of the policy, which could recommend that South Africa utilize key legal […]

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‘Review medicine patents’

Republished from Times Live. This article was originally published on 6 December at http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2012/12/06/review-medicine-patents By Katharine Child HEALTH activists say South Africa’s patent system allows pharmaceutical companies to license any drug they wish, making many medicines prohibitively expensive. They are calling for a review of the system to prevent what they term “abuse”.

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Patent examination is viable and necessary in South Africa

Important new paper describes why and how India set up a patent examination system The South African patent office does not substantively examine patent applications. As long as administrative requirements are met, patents are usually granted. As a result, many patents of poor quality are granted. A University of Pretoria study estimated that had the […]

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LDCs request an indefinite extension of the transition period to comply with TRIPS

By Lieve Vanleeuw The Council for Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or “Council for Trips”, on November 7, 2012 received a request from least developed country members for an extension of their transition period under article 66.1 of the TRIPS agreement. Article 66.1 recognises the “need and requirements of least-developed country members, their […]

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SOUTH AFRICA: Easy patents cost patients

Republished from IRIN Plus News. This article was originally published on 5 November at http://www.plusnews.org/Report/96712/SOUTH-AFRICA-Easy-patents-cost-South-African-patients By Laura Lopez Gonzalez JOHANNESBURG, 5 November 2012 (PlusNews) – South Africa grants almost every patent application it receives, making its patent regime one of the world’s most lenient. While pharmaceutical companies cash in, patients face staggering healthcare costs, and […]

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Patent on Pegylated Interferon alpha 2a revoked in India

This article was originally printed on MSF Access Campaign’s blog ‘Don’t Trade Away Our Lives’ on 2 November Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), Chennai (India) has set aside the patent granted to Roche for pegylated interferon alfa-2a (sold by Roche under the brand name Pegasys). The invention (interferon alpha-2a + polyethyleneglycol) was held to be […]

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