Last week, IPO’s Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge Committee Chair, MANISHA A. DESAI (Eli Lilly and Company), represented IPO and participated in WIPO’s “Seminar on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions: Regional, National and Local Experiences.” The seminar was at WIPO headquarters in Geneva. Desai’s presentation was part of a session on commercial and non-commercial uses of traditional knowledge. [MORE]
Because the mandate for WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge, and Folklore (IGC) was not renewed for 2015, the seminar was aimed at maintaining a focus on the topic, particularly for Geneva-based IP policy makers. It largely focused on practical national and regional experiences for the protection of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, but participants also continued to raise special patent disclosure requirements. IPO opposes any such disclosure requirements that are unrelated to patentability. PowerPoint presentations and other information about the seminar are available online from the WIPO website. A webcast of the full session will be available.
