EPN - Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network

The EPN Administrator and Networking programme officer will represent the Network at the upcoming World Health Organization's Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property when it holds its second session on 5th-10th November 2007 in Geneva.

The main agenda for the meeting is to finalize a draft strategy and action plan on how to boost affordable drug discovery, development and delivery for diseases, mainly those affecting the poor. If completed, the draft will go before WHO¹s Executive Board meeting in January 2008 and, potentially, to the World Health Assembly for endorsement four months later.

At the heart of the plan is finding an optimal way to boost research and development of affordable health care products so people, particularly in developing countries, can receive treatment for diseases, with an emphasis on neglected conditions including tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

For further information on Intellectual property please visit:

http://www.ip-watch.org/index.php?res=800_ff&print=0