1.- The Ecuadorian Government has declared a 21 days lock-down as part of its efforts to contain spread of the COVID 19 virus and the Ecuadorean Intellectual Property Office (IP Office) has suspended deadlines during this period. However, the Ecuadorian IP Office remains open for filing documents and new applications online.
2.- Medtronic shares its ventilator IP rights to combat shortages of equipment caused by COVID-19 outbreak coronavirus around the world.
3.- The European Commission has been at the forefront of supporting research and coordination European and global research efforts, including preparedness for pandemics. In addition to a number of past and ongoing research actions related to coronaviruses and outbreaks, the Commission launched several special actions in 2020.
€ 47.5 million earmarked for 17 projects for vaccines and treatments through the EU Horizon 2020 research program;
€ 90 million in public and private funds for therapy and diagnostics through the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI);
€ 164 million earmarked for SMEs and startups to find innovative solutions against the COVID-19 outbreak through acceleration of the European Innovation Council
4.- The Costa Rican government asked the World Health Organization to create a voluntary pool to collect patent rights, regulatory test data and other information that could be shared for developing coronavirus drugs, vaccines and diagnostics.
