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12 October 2020  
(20-6968)  Page: 1/14 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects  of 
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English   
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES: INFORMATION FROM  
OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS  
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)  
At its meeting of  30 July  2020, the Council for TRIPS agreed to invite intergovernmental organization 
observers to the Council to update the information on their technical and financial cooperation 
programmes relating to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement.  
 
The present document reproduces the information which has been received from the 
World  Health  Organization (WHO)  by means of a communication dated  8 October 2020 . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.   This communication summarizes the technical cooperation activities of the 
World  Health  Organization (WHO) in the area of public health, innovation and intellectual property 
that have taken place since the last report in October 2019 ( document IP/C/W/654/Add.1). The 
overall objective of WHO 's technical cooperation is to strengthen the capacity of developing countries 
in the areas of health innovation, access to medicines and management of intellectual property.  
2.  WHO's technical cooperation is based on its mandate derived from the Global Strategy and Plan 
of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPoA) as well as other  relevant 
resolutions of the World Health Assembly, including WHA72.8 on "Improving the transparency of 
markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products "1 and WHA73.1 on the "COVID -19 
response. "2 In resolution WHA73.1, the Seventy -third World Health Assembly, inter alia , called on 
international organizations and other stakeholders to work collaboratively at all levels to develop, 
test, and scale -up production of safe, effective, quality, affordable  diagnostics, therapeutics, 
medicines and vaccines for the COVID -19 response, including, existing mechanisms for voluntary 
pooling and licensing of patents in order to facilitate timely, equitable and affordable access to them, 
consistent with the provisio ns of relevant international treaties, including the provisions of the 
TRIPS  Agreement and the flexibilities within the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and 
Public Health.   
3.  WHO, through its Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices collaborates clo sely with relevant 
international organizations on topics related to the interface between public health, innovation, 
intellectual property and trade. WHO has requested full support and collaboration from WIPO, WTO 
and other international organizations to e nsure efficient and effective implementation of certain 
prioritized actions of the GSPoA overall programme review panel. Activities focus on technical 
guidance, transfer of technology, local manufacturing, capacity building and training, and direct 
technic al assistance to countries.  
 
1 WHA72.8 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA72/A72_R8 -en.pdf . 
2 WHA73.1 https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA73/A73_R1 -en.pdf . IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
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  2  TRILATERAL STUDY  ON PROMOTING ACCESS TO MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES AND 
INNOVATION, 2ND EDITION  
4.  In July 2020, the Directors -General of the WHO, WIPO, and WTO launched a second edition3 of 
the Trilateral Study on Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections 
between public health, intellectual property and trade. Building on the first edition launched in 2013, 
the publication seeks to strengthen the understanding of the interplay between the distinct policy 
domains of health, trade and intellectual property, and how they affect innovation and access to 
medical technologies, such as medicines, vaccines and medical devices. The second edition provides 
an improved, evidence -based foundation for policy debate and i nformed decision -making at a critical 
time for global health and comprehensively reviews the existing material and captures new 
developments in key areas since the initial launch of the study in 2013. New topics include 
antimicrobial resistance and cutting -edge health technologies and includes updated data on health, 
innovation trends in the pharmaceutical sector, and trade and tariffs. The second edition includes an 
updated overview of access to medical technologies globally and key provisions in free trad e 
agreements and takes account of developments in intellectual property legislation and 
jurisprudence.  A COVID -19 section at the start of the publication provides a factual overview of the 
developments and measures taken to address this extraordinary publi c health crisis, which began 
after the work on the second edition of the study had been completed.  The pandemic has created a 
pressing need for intensified global cooperation and has raised issues at the crossroads of public 
health policy, trade policy and  the framework for and the management of innovation, including those 
relating to intellectual property rights.  The COVID -19 section of the study maps myriad challenges 
posed by the outbreak in relation to the integrated health, trade and intellectual prope rty policy 
frameworks set out in the study. It guides the reader to parts of the study that are of direct relevance 
to the issues that have been raised during the pandemic such as: key policy challenges; preservation 
of effective international trade; intel lectual property; international initiatives to support research and 
development of, and equitable access to, COVID -19 technologies; regulatory responses; and 
ensuring transparency.  
3  COVID -19 TECHNOLOGY ACCESS POOL (C -TAP)  
5.  In May 2020, WHO, in collaboration with the Government of Costa Rica and international 
stakeholders, launched the COVID -19 Technology Access Pool (C -TAP)4 alongside the COVID -19 
Solidarity Call of Action.5 The Solidarity Call to Action, as a complement to the  WHO COVID -19 
Strategic Prepar edness and Response Plan6 and the  Access to COVID -19 Tools (ACT -A) Accelerator,7 
urges key stakeholders and the global community to commit to undertaking urgently needed actions 
to advance the pooling of knowledge, intellectual property and data. Forty W HO Member States and 
other supporting organizations engaged in COVID -19 health technology related access work, 
including notable personalities, have endorsed the Solidarity Call to Action.  Specific actions are 
outlined for governments and other research an d development funders, holders of knowledge, 
intellectual property or data to existing or new therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, 
researchers,  patients and communities, inter -governmental, non -governmental and civil society 
organizations, and other sta keholders. One action, for example, urges all stakeholders to "place, in 
the WHO COVID -19 Technology Access Pool (C -TAP) or its implementing partner platforms, 
references to shared information and/or commitments to all relevant technologies, knowledge, 
intellectual property, and data on terms that facilitate their use in research, development and 
innovation and manufacturing and that would permit effective technology transfer and early access 
to key technologies for the detection, prevention, treatment and response of COVID -19." C-TAP aims 
to compile, in one place, pledges of commitment made under the Solidarity Call to Action to 
voluntarily share COVID -19 health technology related knowledge, intellectual property and data. The 
WHO Secretariat is currently outlining a plan to ope rationalize the Pool, which will draw on relevant 
 
3 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240008267 . 
4 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel -coronavirus -2019/global -research -on-novel -
coronavirus -2019-ncov/covid -19-technology -access -pool. 
5 https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel -coronavirus -2019/global -research -on-novel -
coronavirus -2019-ncov/covid -19-technology -access -pool/solidarity -call-to-
action#:~:text=Now%20more%20than%20ever%2C%20international,data%20necessary%20for%20COVID%
2D19 . 
6 https://www.who.int/publications -detail -redirect/strategic -preparedness -and-response -plan-for-the-
new-coronavirus . 
7 https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/access -to-covid-19-tools-(act)-accelerator . IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
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  data from existing mechanisms, such as the Medicines Patent Pool, the UN Technology Bank -hosted 
Technology Access Partnership and Open COVID Pledge.  
6.  ACT-A is a partnership between WHO and a number of global  health actors including the Bill and 
Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, Gavi, the Global Fund, UNITAID and Wellcome Trust. ACT -A's 
mission is the accelerated development, equitable allocation and scaled -up delivery of vaccines, 
therapeutics and diagnostics.  An Access and Allocation Programme, which is developing the 
principles, frameworks and mechanisms needed to ensure the fair and equitable allocation of these 
tools, cuts across the three main ACT -A pillars (vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics)  as well as 
a Health Systems Connector to strengthen local capacities to deliver new tools. ACT -A is principally 
about mobilizing funds to develop new tools for COVID -19, prioritizing technologies needed, 
coordinating international action, and ensuring that new product s that are safe and effective become 
available at country level through scaling up production. C -TAP provides additional and 
complementary advantages including concrete interventions for accelerating product development 
and manufacturing by promoting throu gh voluntary means open innovation models, knowledge 
sharing and technology transfer as well as promoting equitable global access through non -exclusive 
and access -oriented licensing or other voluntary strategies that facilitate technology transfer and 
access. These include, for example, free licenses and pledges offered by the Open COVID Pledge 
and other initiatives and the waiving of patent rights by some companies on products that may prove 
effective against COVID -19. 
4  WHO -WIPO -WTO  TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM TO A DDRESS OPPORTUNITIES AND 
CHALLENGES OF CUTTING -EDGE HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES  
7.  In October 2019, WHO, WIPO, and WTO organized the 8th joint Technical Symposium8 to address 
the importance of innovation in, and access to, cutting -edge health technologies to ensure progress 
towards universal health coverage and the achievement of the health -related UN Sustainable 
Development Goals. The Symposium event marked the ten -year anniversary of more focused 
cooperation between the secretariats of WHO, WIPO and WTO regarding m atters at the crossroads 
of health, trade and intellectual property. Hosted by WTO, the Directors -General of the three 
organizations opened the Symposium. The first panel reviewed the landscape of cutting -edge 
technologies. Panelists discussed perspectives  on future health outcomes through biotechnology, 
information technology and big data as applied in the medical and medical devices sectors. The 
second panel discussed the opportunities and challenges of optimizing the benefits of these new 
technologies fr om a health, intellectual property and trade perspective, considering how these policy 
mechanisms can function together in the most effective way. Panelists also addressed increasing 
costs for healthcare systems, access and affordability challenges, and po ssible country options to 
facilitate wider use of these technologies as well as the use of confidential patient information data 
and resulting ethical considerations.  
5  TRAINING AND ENHANCING CAPACITY  
8.  In December 2019, WHO presented at the African regional t raining seminar on the Role of Patent 
Offices in Promoting Access to Medicines. The objective of the seminar, co -organized by the African 
Union and the South Centre and, was to increase the institutional capacity of patent offices and 
relevant authorities in African countries to effectively use the flexibilities of the TRIPS Agreement to 
protect public health. The goal was to ensure that the patent system is supportive of public health 
goals and innovation while avoiding creating unnecessary barriers to acc ess to affordable quality 
medicines and generic competition.  
9.  In November 2019, WHO  presented  on understanding patents in the medical products industry 
in a training workshop on key enabling factors for successful local production and supply of 
quality -assured medical products in the SEARO Region. Held in Bangkok, Thailand, the specific 
objectives for the workshop were to: Provide training and guidance to manufacturers and other 
participants on key business, policy, regulatory and other factors critical to s uccessful local 
production of medical products; Share experiences and lessons learned in achieving quality local 
production of medical products, and; Understand the gaps and needs in building the capacity of local 
manufacturers and regulators to promote qu ality local production. The workshop was expected to 
deliver the following outcomes and outputs: Capacity building for participants; Meeting report 
including any identified gaps in capacity building for manufacturers; Training package based on a 
 
8 https://www.who.int/phi/tech -symposiu m-to-address -opportunities -and-challenges/en/ . IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
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  compilatio n of the training materials presented during the workshop, and; Principles and/or key 
concepts for consideration towards development of a 'points to consider ' for local pharmaceutical 
production.  
10.  In November 2019, WHO presented at the "2019 World Conferenc e on Access to Medical 
Products Achieving the SDGs 2030, "9 in New Delhi, India. Organized by the Ministry of Health & 
Family Welfare with the support of World Health Organization, the objective of the conference was 
accelerating access to medical products for achieving universal health coverage in the context of the 
Sustainable Development Goals. The specific objectives were to: Explore new approaches in 
innovation landscape in medical products for achieving Universal Health Coverage and the 2030 
goals; Identify regulatory mechanisms for improved access to quality and safe medical products, 
and; Discuss the role of intellectual property and current trade agreements to promote access to 
medical products. Conference outcomes included: Engaging with a wide set of stakeholders to 
explore new approaches in innovation landscape in medical products for achieving Universal Health 
Coverage and the 2030 goals; Tracking progress on recommendations of 2018 World Conference at 
national and international levels; S trengthen regulatory cooperation and collaboration to improve 
the quality, safety and availability of medical products, and; Promote engagement for public health 
in trade agreements for accelerated access of medical products.  
11.  In November 2019,10 WTO, in cl ose collaboration with WHO and WIPO, hosted the 15th Annual 
WTO Workshop on Trade and Public Health. Key themes of the programme included: Technical 
Refreshers on Health and Intellectual Property/Trade; The Innovation Dimension; The Access 
Dimension; Makin g Effective Use of Special Compulsory Licences for Export; The Trade Dimension, 
and; The Regulatory Dimension. WHO led or participated in the following sessions: Mapping the 
Interface between Health, Trade and Intellectual Property; Technical Refresher on Health; The Public 
Health Context: Overview of Determinants Related to Access; Using the IP System and its Policy 
Options to Further Global Access to Health Technologies; Health -Related Provisions in Regional Trade 
Agreements; Procurement Rules and Practic es; Anti -Microbial Resistance: How to Foster Innovation, 
Access and Appropriate Use of Antibiotics; and Approval, Quality Control and Effectiveness of 
Medicines, including Falsified and Substandard, as well as Counterfeit Medicines.  
12.  In September 2019, WHO participated in a capacity building workshop organized by the 
Burkina  Faso Ministry of Health, the Burkina Faso Ministry of Industry, Trade and Crafts and the 
Yolsé Association on the flexibilities of the TRIPS Agreement, access to medicines and local 
production of generics. The specific objectives of the workshop included training participants on the 
legal aspects of the TRIPS Agreement and the Bangui Agreement, challenges and opportunities for 
access to medicines and for local production; demonstrated how , in terms of regulation, the 
protection of data on pharmaceutical products can influence access to medicines; and presenting 
the mechanisms and strategies necessary to promote access to medicines and local production in 
Burkina Faso and West Africa.  
 
 
 
9 https://www.worldsdg2030.org/ . 
10 https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news19_e/heal_ 15nov19_e.htm .  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 5 - ANNEX1 
Name of programme or project  Launch of the Trilateral Study on Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation, 2nd Edition  
Date and end date  29 July 2020 - 29 July 2020  
Beneficiary Member(s) or 
observer(s)  Afghanistan; Albania; Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Armenia; Australia; Austria; Kingdom of Bahrain; Bangladesh; 
Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Plurinational State of Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; 
Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; China; Colombia; Congo; Costa 
Rica; Côte d 'Ivoire; Croatia; Cuba; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Democratic Republ ic of the Congo; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; 
Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Estonia; Eswatini; European Union; Fiji; Finland; France; Gabon; The Gambia;  
Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea -Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; 
Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Republic of Korea; the  
State of Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; Lao People 's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lesotho; Liberia; L iechtenstein; Lithuania; 
Luxembourg; Macao, China; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Republic of 
Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Nicara gua; 
Niger; Nigeria; Republic of North Macedonia; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Peru; 
Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent 
and the Grenadi nes; Samoa; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovak Republic; 
Slovenia; Solomon Islands; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Sweden; Switzerland; The Separate Customs Territory 
of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu ; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; 
Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States of America; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Bolivarian Republic of 
Venezuela; Viet Nam; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe  
Brief description  The Directors -General of the WHO, WIPO, and WTO launched a second edition of the Trilateral Study on Promoting Access to 
Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between public health, intellectual property and trade. The second ed ition 
provides an improved, evidence -based foundation for policy debate and informed decision -making at a critical time for global 
health and comprehensively reviews the existing material and captures new developments in key areas since the initial launch 
of the study in 2013.  
Beneficiary institution or 
audience   
Technical cooperation provider(s)  WHO, WIPO, WTO  
Outputs or impact  The publication seeks to strengthen the understanding of the interplay between the distinct policy domains of health, trade a nd 
intellectual property, and how they affect innovation and access to medical technologies, such as medicines, vaccines and 
medical devices.  
Website for further information  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240008267   
 
https://www.who.int/news -room/detail/29 -07-2020-who-wipo-wto-launch -updated -study -on-access -to-medical -technologies -
and-innovation  
Contact point for further 
information   
 
1 In English only .  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 6 - Name of programme or project  Launch of the Trilateral Study on Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation, 2nd Edition  
Name of programme or project  COVID -19 Technology Access Pool (C -TAP) 
Date and end date  29 May 2020 - 29 May 2020  
Beneficiary Member(s) or 
observer(s)   
Brief description  WHO, in collaboration with the Government of Costa Rica and international stakeholders, launched the COVID -19 Technology 
Access Pool (C -TAP) alongside the COVID -19 Solidarity Call of Action. Forty WHO Member States and other supporting 
organizations engaged in COVID -19 health technology related access work, including notable personalities, have endorsed 
the Solidarity Call to Action.  
Beneficiary institution  or audience  C-TAP is open for endorsement by and participation from all WHO Member States, international intergovernmental 
organizations, civil society organization, private sector, academic and other holders of COVID -19 health technology related 
intellec tual property, data and knowledge.  
Technical cooperation provider(s)   
Outputs or impact  C-TAP aims to compile, in one place, pledges of commitment made under the Solidarity Call to Action to voluntarily share 
COVID -19 health technology related knowledge , intellectual property and data, drawing on relevant data from existing 
mechanisms, such as the Medicines Patent Pool, the UN Technology Bank -hosted Technology Access Partnership and Open 
COVID Pledge.  
Website for further information  https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel -coronavirus -2019/global -research -on-novel-coronavirus -2019-
ncov/covid -19-technology -access -pool  
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel -coronavirus -2019/global -research -on-novel -coronavirus -2019-
ncov/covid -19-technology -access -pool/solidarity -call-to-
action#:~:text=Now%20more%20than%20ever%2C%20international,data%20necessary%20for%20COVID%2D19  
Contact point for further information  CallToAction@who.int  
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 7 - Name of programme or project  African Regional Training Seminar  
Date and end date  17 December 2019 - 21 December 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; 
Comoros; Congo; Côte d 'Ivoire; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Djibouti; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eswatini; 
Ethiopia; Gabon; The G ambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea -Bissau; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; 
Mali; Mauritania; Mauritius; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sao Tomé and Principe; Senegal; 
Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Africa; Sou th Sudan; Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Tunisia; Uganda; Zambia; 
Zimbabwe  
Brief description  WHO presented at the African regional training seminar on the Role of Patent Offices in Promoting Access to Medicines. 
The objective of the seminar, co -organized by the S outh Centre and the African Union, was to increase the institutional 
capacity of patent offices and relevant authorities in African countries to effectively use the flexibilities of the TRIPS 
Agreement to protect public health. The goal was to ensure that the patent system is supportive of public health goals 
and innovation while avoiding creating unnecessary barriers to access to affordable quality medicines and generic 
competition.  
Beneficiary institution or audience  African Union countries  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  South Centre and the African Union  
Outputs or impact  The objective of the seminar was to increase the institutional capacity of patent offices and relevant authorities in African  
countries to effectively use the flexibilities of the TRIPS Agreement to protect public health. The seminar will foster 
dialogue among patent authorities and discuss policy options as well as provide specialized training to patent examiners 
on substantive examination of pharmaceutical pat ents. 
Website for further information  https://ipaccessmeds.southcentre.int/event/upcoming -south -centre -and-african -union -capacity -building -for-african -
countries -on-the-effective -use-of-trips-flexibilities -to-protect -public -health/  
Contact point for further information   
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 8 - Name of programme or project  Training Workshop: Key Enabling Factors for Successful Local Production 
and Supply of Quality -Assured Medical Products, WHO South -East Asia 
Region  
Date and end date  23 November 2019 - 29 November 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Bangladesh; Malaysia; Myanmar; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Viet Nam  
Brief description  WHO presented in a training workshop on key enabling factors for successful local 
production and supply of quality -assured medical products in the SEARO Region.  
Beneficiary institution or audience  WHO South -East Asia Region; other stakeholders who participated at the workshop 
included international partners from The Global Fund, Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), 
UNCTAD, UNDP, UNICEF and WHO. Two GMP experts from consulti ng firms also 
participated in the training workshop.  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  WHO hosted training workshop  
Outputs or impact  Capacity building for participants; meeting report including any identified gaps in 
capacity building for manufacturers;  training package based on a compilation of 
the training materials presented during the workshop; principles and/or key 
concepts for consideration towards development of a 'points to consider ' for local 
pharmaceutical production  
Website for further information  https://www.who.int/phi/implementation/tech_transfer/Bangkok -Report -
Final_27_02_2020_Web.pdf?ua=1  
Contact point for further informa tion  
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 9 - Name of programme or project  2019 World Conference on Access to Medical Products Achieving the SDGs 2030  
Date and end date  19 November 2019 - 21 November 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Afghanistan; Albania; Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Armenia; Australia; Austria; Kingdom of Bahrain; 
Bangladesh; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Plurinational State of Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; 
Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada;  Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; 
China; Colombia; Congo; Costa Rica; Côte d 'Ivoire; Croatia; Cuba; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Democratic Republic of 
the Congo; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Estonia; Eswat ini; 
European Union; Fiji; Finland; France; Gabon; The Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; Guatemala; 
Guinea; Guinea -Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Ireland; 
Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan ; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Republic of Korea; the State of Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; 
Lao People 's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lesotho; Liberia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macao, China; 
Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; Mauri tania; Mauritius; Mexico; Republic of Moldova; Mongolia; 
Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Niger; Nigeria; 
Republic of North Macedonia; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay;  Peru; Philippines; 
Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and 
the Grenadines; Samoa; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovak Republic; 
Slovenia;  Solomon Islands; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Sweden; Switzerland; The Separate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; 
Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States of America; Uruguay; 
Vanuatu; Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Viet Nam; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe  
Brief description  Organized by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with the support of World Health Organiza tion, the objective of 
the conference was accelerating access to medical products for achieving universal health coverage in the context of 
the Sustainable Development Goals.  
Beneficiary institution or audience  The meeting was attended by international and national level officials and experts from relevant government sectors 
(such as Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Law and Justice), 
Member States, WHO and other UN agencies, academ ia, civil society and private sector.  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, along with WHO  
Outputs or impact  Engage with a wide set of stakeholders to explore new approaches in innovation land scape in medical products for 
achieving Universal Health Coverage and the SDG 2030 goals; track progress on recommendations of 2018 World 
Conference at national and international levels; strengthen regulatory cooperation and collaboration to improve the 
quality, safety and availability of medical products; promote engagement for public health in trade agreements for 
accelerated access of medical products  
Website for further information  https://www.w orldsdg2030.org/  
Contact point for further information  2019conference@worldsdg2030.org  
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 10 - Name of programme or project  15th Annual WTO Workshop on Trade and Public Health  
Date and end date  11 November 2019 - 15 November 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Belarus; Botswana; Brazil; Chile; Costa Rica; Côte d 'Ivoire; Cuba; Ecuador; 
Jamaica; Kenya; Malawi; Maldives; Mauritius; Myanmar; Nepal; Nigeria; Oman; 
Philippines; Russian Federation; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Singapore; Sri 
Lanka; Suriname; Thailand; Togo; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Ukraine; Viet 
Nam 
Brief description  The 2019 workshop built on similar training activities held since 2014 as well as on 
earlier wo rkshops on intellectual property and public health that had been 
convened by the WTO Secretariat since 2005. The workshop followed the approach 
of the WHO -WIPO -WTO Trilateral Study on "Promoting Access to Medical 
Technologies and Innovation: Intersections Between Public health,  
Intellectual Property and Trade. " The programme of the workshop has evolved to 
cover the link between trade and public health in a comprehensive and 
multidisciplinary manner in order to build the capacity of governments in 
developing  countries and LDCs to take effective and coherent policy decisions.  
Beneficiary institution or audience  This activity was attended by government officials from health, intellectual property 
and trade ministries. Self -funded government officials from Cze ch Republic, 
European Union and Finland also participated.  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  WTO in close collaboration with the secretariats of the WHO and WIPO  
Outputs or impact  Improved participants ' understanding on the relation between trade and public 
health. Enhanced participants ' capacity to address cross -sectoral issues. Fostered 
participants ' understanding of the need for smooth domestic coordination in the 
areas of trade and public health.  
Website for further information  https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news19_e/heal_15nov19_e.htm  
Contact point for further information  IPD@wto.org  
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 11 - Name of programme or project  WHO -WIPO -WTO Technical Symposium to Address Opportunities and 
Challenges of Cutting -Edge Health Technologies  
Date and end date  31 October 2019 - 31 October 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Afghanistan; Albania; Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Armenia; 
Australia; Austria; Kingdom of Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; 
Benin; Plurinational State of Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darus salam; 
Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; 
Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; China; Colombia; Congo; Costa Rica; Côte 
d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cuba; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Democratic Republic of the 
Congo; Denmark; Djib outi; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El 
Salvador; Estonia; Eswatini; European Union; Fiji; Finland; France; Gabon; The 
Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; 
Guinea -Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Hong Kong, Ch ina; Hungary; Iceland; 
India; Indonesia; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; 
Kenya; Republic of Korea; the State of Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; Lao People 's 
Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lesotho; Liberia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; 
Luxembourg; Macao, China; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; 
Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Republic of Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; 
Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; 
Nicaragua; Niger; Ni geria; Republic of North Macedonia; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; 
Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; 
Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint 
Vincent and the Grenadines; Samoa; Ki ngdom of Saudi Arabia; Senegal; 
Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; 
South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Suriname; Sweden; Switzerland; The Separate 
Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; Tajikistan; Tanzania; 
Thailand; Togo; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; 
United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States of America; Uruguay; 
Vanuatu; Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Viet Nam; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe  
Brief description  WHO, WIPO, and WTO organized the 8th joint Technical Symposium to address the 
importance of innovation in, and access to, cutting -edge health technologies to 
ensure progress towards universal health coverage and the achievement of the 
health -related UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Symposium event marked 
the ten -year anniversary of more focused cooperation between the secretariats of 
WHO, WIPO and WTO regarding matters at the crossroads of health, trade and 
intellectual property.  
Benefici ary institution or audience  The event was open to Geneva -based delegations to WHO, WIPO and WTO, 
representatives of international organizations, experts on trade and intellectual 
property policies, academia, civil society organizations and industry 
represe ntatives as well as interested individuals.  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  The Secretariats of the WHO, WIPO and the WTO   
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 12 - Name of programme or project  WHO -WIPO -WTO Technical Symposium to Address Opportunities and 
Challenges of Cutting -Edge Health Technologies  
Outputs or impact  The Symposium aimed at providing a forum for an evidence -based exchange of 
views and experiences among stakehol ders and representatives from different 
sectors. Innovative, inclusive, and multi -stakeholder initiatives and partnerships 
that research, develop and facilitate access to novel, needs -based health 
technologies were highlighted. The Symposium aimed at a bet ter understanding of 
the impact of emerging technologies in achieving universal health coverage and to 
assist participants to better assess policy options under relevant WTO agreements 
and envisage possible ways forward.  
Website for further information  https://www.who.int/phi/tech -symposium -to-address -opportunities -and-
challenges/en/  
Contact point for further information  gspoa@who.int  
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 13 - Name of programme or project  Capacity building workshop organized by the Burkina Faso Ministry of 
Health, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Crafts and the Yolsé 
Association  
Date and end date  11 September 2019 - 14 September 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Benin; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Côte d 'Ivoire; The Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; 
Guinea -Bissau; Liberia; Mali; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone; 
Togo 
Brief description  WHO participated in a capacity building workshop on the flexibilities of the TRIPS 
Agreement, access to medicines and local production of generics. The specific 
objectives of the workshop included training participants on the legal aspects of 
the TRIPS Agreement and the Bangui Agreement, challenges and opportunities for 
access to medicines and for local production; demonstrated how, in terms of 
regulation, the protection of data on pharmaceutical products can influence access 
to medicines; and p resenting the mechanisms and strategies necessary to promote 
access to medicines and local production in Burkina Faso and West Africa.  
Beneficiary institution or audience   
Technical cooperation provider(s)  Burkina Faso Ministry of Health, the Ministry o f Industry, Trade and Crafts and the 
Yolsé Association  
Outputs or impact  Trained participants on the legal aspects of the TRIPS Agreement and the Bangui 
Agreement, challenges and opportunities for access to medicines and for local 
production; demonstrated  how, in terms of regulation, the protection of data on 
pharmaceutical products can influence access to medicines; and presented the 
mechanisms and strategies necessary to promote access to medicines and local 
production in Burkina Faso and West Africa.  
Website for further information   
Contact point for further information   
  
  IP/C/R/TC/WHO/1  
 
- 14 - Name of programme or project  Workshop on Intellectual Property, Trade Negotiations and Access to 
Medicines  
Date and end date  21 August 2019 - 23 August 2019  
Beneficiary Member(s) or observer(s)  Malaysia  
Brief description  The aim of the workshop was to discuss the requirements of the TRIPS Agreement, 
its flexibilities and implications for access to affordable medicines, including local 
generic manufacturing ca pacity, innovation and technology transfer in the 
pharmaceutical sector.  
Beneficiary institution or audience  Malaysia  
Technical cooperation provider(s)  WHO, UNDP, TWN experts  
Outputs or impact   
Website for further information   
Contact point for further information   
 
 
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