TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
World Health Organization (WHO)
At its meeting of 14-15
June 2023, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental
organization observers to the Council to update the information on their
technical and financial cooperation programmes relating to the implementation
of the TRIPS Agreement.
The
present document reproduces the information which has been received from the World
Health Organization (WHO) by means of a communication
dated 10
October 2023.
_______________
1 INTRODUCTION
1. This communication summarizes the technical
cooperation activities of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the area of
public health, innovation and intellectual property that have taken place since
the last report in October 2022 (document IP/C/R/TC/WHO/3). The overall
objective of WHO's technical cooperation is to strengthen the capacity of
developing countries in the areas of health innovation, timely access to
medicines and management of intellectual property in a manner that maximizes
public health.
2. WHO's technical cooperation is based on its mandate derived from the
Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property (GSPA-PHI) as well as relevant resolutions and decisions
of the World Health Assembly, including WHA72.8 on "Improving the
transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products"[1],
WHA73.1 on the "COVID-19 response,"[2] WHA74.6 on "Strengthening
local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access"[3] and
WHA75.14 on the extension of the time frame of the "Global Strategy and
Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property"
from 2022 to 2030.[4]
3. In resolution WHA74.6, the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly
emphasized the need to improve access to quality, safe, effective and
affordable medicines and other health technologies, inter alia, through cooperation
with, support to and development of voluntary patent pools and other voluntary
initiatives, such as the WHO COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). WHA74.6,
inter alia, requested the WHO Director-General to continue to provide technical
support, as appropriate, upon request, in collaboration with other competent
international organizations, like the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), including to policy processes
and to countries that intend to make use of the provisions contained in the
TRIPS Agreement, including the flexibilities affirmed by the Doha
Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health in order to promote access
to pharmaceutical products.[5]
4. WHO, through its Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices
collaborates closely with relevant international organizations on topics
related to the interface between public health, innovation, intellectual
property and trade. WHO has requested full support and collaboration from WIPO,
WTO and other international organizations to ensure efficient and effective
implementation of certain prioritized actions of the GSPA-PHI overall programme
review panel. Activities focus on technical guidance, transfer of technology,
local manufacturing, capacity-building and training, and direct technical
assistance to countries. WHO, WIPO and WTO worked in close collaboration to
respond to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the
integrated health, trade and IP policy framework, including equitable access to
COVID-19 health technologies, such as medicines, vaccines, medical devices, and
diagnostics.
5. Following the WHO Director-General's declaration that COVID-19 no
longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC),
the three organizations have continued to work together to ensure preparedness
and effective response to future pandemics.[6]