On 12 October 2022, the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that it and the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will, on 28 October 2022, hold a joint virtual workshop on “Innovation and access to diagnostics for COVID-19 and beyond”. The event will be the third in the series of trilateral workshops which the Directors-General of the WHO, WIPO and the WTO have agreed to organise within the existing collaboration framework.
These workshops aim at strengthening the capacity of policymakers and experts in members of the three organisations and in WTO accession candidates to address the pandemic and to achieve equitable access to COVID-19 health technologies.
Objectives of the workshop
This practical capacity-building workshop, jointly organised by the WHO, WIPO and WTO secretariats, will look at diagnostics, with a focus on in vitro diagnostics (IVDs). It will take place on 28 October from 14:00 to 16:30 (Geneva time) in virtual format. The workshop aims to:
- strengthen members’ capacity to assess medical devices, diagnostic therapeutic technologies to respond to COVID-19;
- help to better understand the concept and particularities of all diagnostics (including in vitro and in-vivo);
- understand the importance of regulatory processes for ensuring timely access to safe, efficacious and quality in vitro diagnostics;
- review the landscape for in vitro diagnostics for COVID-19 and explore the following issues: key products, lead manufacturers, manufacturing data, main production locations, and trade flows;
- look at information resources, including those made available by WHO, WIPO or the WTO;
- consider relevant IP issues, including the role of IP and licensing as part of the enabling environment for innovation, local production and access;
- review trade-related issues that impact on access to in vitro diagnostics, as well as ingredients or components;
- provide a forum for exchange of experiences and views that can help the secretariats of WHO, WIPO and the WTO to better respond to capacity-building needs of their members.
- The first panel of the workshop will introduce diagnostics and endeavour to clarify the innovation and access landscape from a health, trade and IP perspective. This panel will be followed by a roundtable discussion on challenges, opportunities, and the way forward to secure innovation and access. The workshop will conclude with an opportunity for the audience to engage in an interactive discussion with the panellists. The draft programme can be accessed here.
This capacity-building activity in virtual format is addressed to members of the three organisations and WTO accession candidates. Participation is also open to the general public. Online registration is (https://who.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hixjjcZLS_iRHDdELrN50g)
Further information is available in a background document (www.wto.org/english/news_e/news22_e/backigo_12oct22_e.pdf) and will be made available on the meeting web page (www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/trilateral-cooperation-on-intellectual-property-and-public-health).
