International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development The Role of IP and Innovation in Addressing Global Public Health Challenges: Fostering Technological Transfer and Collaborations
This Conference will bring together speakers from intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, academia and the private sector to exchange about the importance of IP and innovation in supporting global public health needs through the promotion of technological transfer and partnerships. The Conference will discuss strategies and tools to foster and build innovation capacity, encourage technology transfer and local production of medical products, as well as promote information sharing on IP rights to improve access to medicines and other health products for public health purposes. The Conference will explore IP-related solutions proposed by stakeholders, analyze various policy choices, and learn from successful partnerships from all over the world.
The event is organized in the context of WIPO’s Development Agenda and WIPO’s Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP). It is part of a series of Conferences held biennially in the framework of the CDIP.
The Conference is open to all, either at WIPO’s Headquarters in Geneva or via an online platform.
Member States representatives and Observers attending CDIP/34 do not need to register separately to attend the Conference.
Each panel discussion will conclude with a Q&A session, during which participants will be able to raise questions to the panelists.
Interpretation will be available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese and Arabic.
Program
Registration (8.30 – 9.00)
Welcoming remarks (9.00 – 9.15)
Keynote Speech
High Level Dialogue on the Role of IP and Innovation in Addressing Global Public Health Challenges: Fostering Technological Transfer and Collaborations (9.15 – 10.15)
The High-Level Dialogue aims to highlight the role of IP in fostering innovation, technology transfer and collaboration, while addressing global health challenges in a post-pandemic era. It looks at the way in which public policies, including national IP policies, can incentivize innovation, technology transfer and access to health technologies through the strategic use of IP in this area.
Moderator and Panelists
Panel 1: IP as a Tool for Incentivizing Innovation and Ensuring Access to the Health Technology Sector (10.45 – 12.15)
Multiple stakeholders cooperate within health innovation ecosystems to improve quality of life, patient care and health systems. In this complex environment, innovators face challenges, such as limited financial resources and insufficient health infrastructure, that may affect their growth and innovation processes. Balanced laws and policies at different levels are key to enabling IP as an instrument to achieve innovation and access to health technologies. During this session, panelists will look at various IP tools and strategies that may encourage innovation, local production of and access to health technologies, especially in developing and least-developed countries.
Moderator and Panelists
Panel 2: IP Incentives for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) technologies (13.45 – 15.15)
The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human health, food-animal production and agriculture, as well as environmental factors, such as pollution and poor waste management, have contributed to the spread of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Multidrug Resistance (MDR). Effective responses to AMR/MDR require effort by both the public and private sectors to develop and disseminate new diagnostics and treatments on a global scale, as well as to adapt them to local needs, while guaranteeing accessibility. During this session, panelists will discuss the role of IP in promoting innovative solutions and technologies to monitor and reduce the impact of antibiotics in the health, agricultural and environmental sectors to combat AMR and MDR.
Moderator and Panelists
Panel 3: Innovation for Health Safety at Work (15.30 – 17.00)
A sustainable workplace relies on continuing support for safety measures for the workforce. Oftentimes, workers face multiple challenges in their daily routine, ranging from the use of counterfeit equipment to the lack of adequate training to the unnecessary exposure of risks and dangers in the workplace. During this session, panelists will discuss how to respond to these challenges, and the role of partnerships and innovation to mitigate these challenges.
Moderator and Panelists
Concluding Dialogue on opportunities for the future (17.00 – 18.00)
Selected speakers from previous panels (one from each) will highlight some key messages from their respective panels and will share additional reflections on the main debates held during the Conference. The dialogue will be organized around a list of questions that the Moderator would ask to the speakers, with a view to drawing conclusions and identifying concrete takeaways.
Moderator and Panelists
Closing (18.00 – 18.10)