Intellectual Property

Introduction

The normative and policy-setting functions of the World Health Organization (“WHO”) have been substantially influenced by the differences of opinion within WHO’s membership about the impact of trade and intellectual property (“IP”) rules on public health. In particular, WHO members differ as to the organization’s role in addressing the perceived failure of the pharmaceutical market to generate safe and affordable medicines for diseases predominantly affecting developing countries.

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

After years of controversy, a small group of countries, including the United States and European Union member states, announced in December 2010 that they had finalized a new "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement"[1] ("ACTA"). With the negotiations complete, attention has turned to a question that may at first appear obscure, but is in fact of enormous importance: Can the U.S. President make the agreement on his own, without Congressional approval?

Introduction