The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health

The Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health has published its report.It analyzes the relationships between intellectual property rights, innovation and public health. It makes recommendations aimed to promote innovation (i.e. new diagnostics, vaccines and medicines) relevant to the needs of sick people in developing countries, and the accessibility of health-care products in developing countries. The report will first be considered by an intergovernmental working group of WHO's Executive Board on 28 April, and then by WHO's 192 Member States at the Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly to be held on 22-27 May 2006.Owen comments:The Commission has had the utmost difficulty reaching a consensus (and three members of the Commission have added "commentaries" - effectively dissenting minority reports.) The final product brings together a lot of information about patents, TRIPS, and policy options for enhancing access to essential medicines in developing countries, but it has done little to narrow the range of possible options, or to move the international community closer to a consensus.