J A Kemp is a leading firm of European Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. We combine independent thinking with collective excellence in all that we do.
The technical and legal knowledge that we apply to the protection of our clients’ patents is outstanding in its breadth and depth. With around 100 science and technology graduates in the firm, including 50 PhDs, no area of science or technology is outside our scope. Our Patent Attorneys have collective in-depth expertise in patent law and procedure in every country of the world.
The team of professionals who advise our clients on trade mark and design matters have backgrounds in major international law firms and hold qualifications as Chartered UK Trade Mark Attorneys, Solicitors and European Trade Mark Professional Representatives. Dedicated to this specialist area of intellectual property protection, the team has the expertise and resources to protect trade marks and designs in any market worldwide.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has reached a limited
agreement to relax patent protections for the production and supply
of COVID-19 vaccines. The text of the agreement is available here.
The agreement represents a clarification of already existing
powers for WTO members to authorise the use of a patent without the
patent-owner's consent (so called "compulsory
licensing").
The intention of the agreement is to help boost the supply of
COVID-19 vaccines for poorer countries. However, critics have noted
that there is no longer a worldwide supply problem with the
vaccines, and that infrastructure problems in poorer countries
(e.g. testing and distribution frameworks) are seen as more urgent
problems. The vaccine originators have argued that any dilution of
their patent rights will serve as a disincentive to invest in
vaccine development, therefore potentially creating a drag on
lifesaving research and development.
The agreement is thus expected to have a limited practical
impact on vaccine supply.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
