WTO : Pharma-producing nations remain evasive on TRIPS Agreement review (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The United States on 26 April appears to have adopted a "diversionary" stance on Colombia's proposal for a comprehensive review of the implementation of the World Trade Organization's controversia l TRIPS Agreement, saying that it is ready to accommodate the issues as a rev iew of the domestic implementation of the Agreement, which is contrary to the mandate, said people familiar with the development.

Health : Colombia issues first-ever compulsory license for key HIV drug (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
In what is being widely viewed as a "landma rk move", the government of Colombia has issued its first-ever compulsory lice nse (CL) aimed at enabling access to less-expensive generic versions of the key HIV medicine dolutegravir, which now has the potential to treat 28 people for t he price of treating just one.

Rights : UN experts call for treaty to prohibit trade in tools of torture (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
A group of United Nations experts has calle d on Member States to adopt a treaty prohibiting the trade, manufacture, and use of tools and equipment that inflict torture, as well as to regulate their use by law enforcement and other public authorities.