Public health, Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights: Report of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights,Innovation and Public Health

On April 3, 2006, an independent commission on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), innovation and public health presented its report to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The report was commissioned by the World Health Assembly, the WHO's governing body of 192 member states. The report recommends key actions needed to ensure that poor people in developing countries have access to existing and new health products to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases that affect them most. The report accepts that intellectual property rights are a general incentive provided by governments to promote innovation in all fields. However, there may, therefore, be the need for other incentives and financial mechanisms, and for collaboration between different stakeholders. The WHO should develop a Global Plan of Action to secure enhanced and sustainable funding for developing and making accessible products to address diseases that disproportionately affect people in developing countries.