WIPO Hosts Symposium on Current Issues in Intellectual Property and Public Health

Geneva, September 11, 2007
MA/2007/33

The second in a series of public symposia on the life sciences and intellectual property will be held on Wednesday, September 19, 2007, at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and will address current issues in intellectual property and public health, an area that has sparked international debate and attention in recent years. 

The Life Sciences Symposium on Current Issues in Intellectual Property and Public Health aims at providing a general overview of the array of health-related intellectual property issues currently under discussion in international policy processes. A panel of representatives from WIPO’s member states, theWorld Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), civil society and industry will give their perspectives on contemporary issues and outline their current priorities in this field. The half-day overview of current issues will provide a snapshot of current debates and policy processes, hear a range of perspectives on current issues, and help clarify the linkages and distinctions between them.

WIPO’s Symposia on Life Sciences and IP Policy are intended to identify and clarify the intellectual property dimension in the life sciences. They are addressed to a wide range of stakeholders, including international policymakers, government agencies, legislators, delegates, civil society and the private sector. The symposia offer a forum for exchanging information and experiences concerning the use and impact of the intellectual property system in life sciences and do not seek to influence or assess discussions in other fora.

The program and information on the full series of the WIPO Life Sciences Symposia is available at https://www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/lifesciences/. The event is open to the general public and is not be subject to a fee. Anyone interested in attending the meeting is requested to complete the on-line registration form.