Report of the Inter-Regional Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights in the Context of Traditional Medicine (Bangkok, Thailand, 6-8 December 2000): 1. Introduction: 1.2. Objectives of the Workshop

Report of the Inter-Regional Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights in the Context of Traditional Medicine (Bangkok, Thailand, 6-8 December 2000)
(2001; 52 pages)

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements
	1. Introduction
		1.1. Opening Session of the Workshop
		1.2. Objectives of the Workshop
	2. The role of intellectual property rights in the context of traditional medicine
		2.1. Importance of traditional medicine
		2.2. Intellectual property rights for traditional knowledge
		2.3. Innovations based on traditional medicine knowledge
		2.4. Individuals and institutions involved in discovery and innovation based on the knowledge of traditional medicine
		2.5. Challenges to close the gap between existing patent laws and the need to protect traditional knowledge and biodiversity
		2.6. Briefing for the Workshop
	3. Globalization, the TRIPS Agreement and access to essential drugs
	4. Intellectual property rights
	5. Systems and national experience for protecting traditional knowledge, innovations and practices
	6. Problems and gaps in traditional medicine in relation to modern patent laws
		6.1. Philippines
		6.2. Thailand
	7. Group discussion on existing problems and gaps for the protection of traditional medicine knowledge
	8. Presentations on national patent law: means, experiences and proposals
		8.1. China
		8.2. Colombia
		8.3. India
		8.4. Indonesia
		8.5. Kenya
		8.6. Pakistan
		8.7. Republic of Korea
		8.8. WHO Collaborating Centre (Chicago)
	9. Recommendations
	Annex I. Message to the Workshop from Dr Uton Muchtar Rafei, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia Region
	Annex II. Welcome address from Dr Mongkol Na Songkhla, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
	Annex III. Workshop Agenda
	Annex IV. List of Participants

1.2. Objectives of the Workshop

The developmental objectives of the workshop were:

• To further promote development of traditional medicine taking into consideration intellectual property rights and their implications.

The specific objectives were:

• To identify those areas of traditional medicine where intellectual property rights protection is of major concern;

• To identify gaps between those areas of traditional medicine (identified in the above specified objective) and existing modern intellectual property law;

• To share information on national patent law and policies on intellectual property rights relating to traditional medicine; and

• To discuss strategies that could be used for protecting traditional medicine knowledge, resources and biodiversity in order to contribute to a fair and equitable sharing of benefits.

Dr S. K. Sharma, Adviser (Ayurveda), Department of ISH&H, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, was nominated as Chairperson and Atty. Elpidio Peria, Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare, Philippines, was designated as rapporteur. The agenda for the workshop and the participants’ list and secretariat are attached as Annexes III and IV.