International Activities

　 During December 11 to 15, 2017, JIPA dispatched Mr. Toshifumi Sako, Chairperson of the Medicinal and Biotechnology Committee to the WIPO-SCP (Standing Committee on the Law of Patents) 27th session, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland.

　This committee was established in 1998 in order for developed countries and developing countries to hold a meeting for discussing problems, enhancing their cooperation, and providing guidance in pursuit of the international development of the patent law. Nowadays, committee sessions are held twice a year, and representatives of governmental agencies from all over the world as well as representatives from organizations such as NGOs as observers participate in the committee sessions for discussions. JIPA is an official observer having a voice.

　WIPO-SCP has discussed the 5 major agenda items, "Exceptions and limitations to patent rights," "Quality of patents" "Patents and health," "Confidentiality of communications between clients and their patent advisors," and "Transfer of technology." In particular, emerging countries have directed their criticisms at patent systems related to medicines, including making full use of the TRIPS flexibility (for example, free setting of patentability criteria and compulsory licenses) to improve Access to Medicines in the emerging countries, and making clear the information on pricing of drugs and drug-related patents. Thus, to continue to support the opinion of developed countries, JIPA again dispatched a representative from the Medicinal and Biotechnology Committee to address the situation. In particular, to express the importance of patent systems for drug discovery and approaches of the pharmaceutical industry to improving Access to Medicines, JIPA prepared a draft statement in cooperation with the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA). JIPA also consulted with JPO before participating in the meeting.