The 2024 WTO Trade and Public Health Workshop commenced in Geneva on September 30, 2024. In her opening remarks, WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill emphasized the importance of WTO rules in ensuring equitable access to health-related products and services. She stated, “WTO rules facilitate equitable access to health-related products and services: starting with research and development, continuing through production, and culminating in last mile distribution to patients and medical personnel around the world.”
This year's workshop features 27 speakers from various sectors including international organizations, governments, the private sector, and civil society. It is organized by the WTO in collaboration with the secretariats of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The event aligns with the second edition of the WHO-WIPO-WTO study titled "Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between Public Health, Intellectual Property and Trade."
Participants will engage in interactive panel discussions and specialized sessions throughout the workshop. These sessions aim to exchange cutting-edge research, country experiences, best practices, and case studies. The one-week intensive program promotes a multidisciplinary approach. It offers participants an opportunity to network, collaborate, and establish a common understanding to address challenges at the intersection of trade, intellectual property, and public health.