Medical technology industry invited into innovation debate:
This article was originally published in Clinica
The healthcare technology industry is being encouraged to participate in the next session of the World Health Organization's Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (IGWG). All interested parties have until September 30 2007 to "propose solutions aimed at fostering innovation for the creation of new products against diseases that disproportionately affect poor and marginalised populations". Contributors are asked to submit a summary of their comments (maximum 500 words) to a dedicated website (www.who.int/phi/public- hearings/second) in any of the six official UN languages - namely Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish. These comments will form part of the documentation that will be discussed at the IGWG's second session, which is being hosted by the WHO during November 5-10.