Experts Discuss Synergy Across IP, Competition, and Health at Trilateral Webinar
On June 20, 2024, a trilateral webinar was held to discuss the role of intellectual property (IP) and competition law and policy in promoting access to healthcare solutions. Amy Dietterich, Director of the Global Challenges Division at WIPO, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of balancing IP frameworks with strong regulatory health systems and international trade rules to ensure equitable access to affordable healthcare while fostering innovation in the pharmaceutical sector. She acknowledged the long-term collaboration between WHO and WTO through the Trilateral Cooperation.
Antony Taubman, Director of Intellectual Property, Government Procurement, and Competition Division at WTO, underscored the necessity of a robust IP system complemented by competition policy. He highlighted that recent domestic experiences offer valuable lessons for mutual learning. Taubman referenced the WTO's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which links IP with competition law and policy. He also mentioned a joint WIPO-WTO publication analyzing this interface and mapping trends towards developing competition frameworks among members.
Erika Dueñas from WHO's Access to Medicines and Health Products Division emphasized competition law as a tool for governments to address public health concerns, correct anti-competitive behavior, promote access to medical technologies, and foster innovation. She pointed out UNDP’s updated publication on trends in competition law enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector.
Giovanni Napolitano from WIPO moderated the webinar, stressing that advocacy efforts by competition authorities could lead to lower healthcare costs due to their systemic effects.
Key takeaways from the webinar included:
- The significance of competition law and policy in supporting innovation and access in pharmaceuticals.
- The need for stringent regulatory processes for bringing new treatments to market safely.
- The importance of a balanced IP system for promoting research while ensuring affordability through measures like detailed patent examinations and compulsory licenses.
- The role of international trade in ensuring equal access to health technologies.
- Enhanced collaboration between health authorities, competition agencies, and IP offices was seen as essential for improving efficiency in the pharmaceutical sector.
A case study presented during the webinar explored opportunities for enhanced collaboration within a national pharmaceutical market. It emphasized streamlining generic drug approvals and improving inter-agency communication as key areas for focus.
The event highlighted that cooperation between health agencies, IP offices, and competition authorities is crucial for balancing affordability, innovation, and competition in healthcare.
The video recording of the webinar along with agenda details are available on the event page.
The secretariats of WHO, WIPO, and WTO organize capacity-building activities aimed at enhancing technical information flow related to innovation and access to health technologies. Their objective is to strengthen policymaker capacity by facilitating access to expertise and deepening discussions on issues intersecting public health, IP, and trade. Members seeking support can utilize the Trilateral Technical Assistance Platform for addressing various issues including pandemic prevention.