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Updated May 20th, 2021 at 19:45 IST

COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver won't be enough to solve problem of inequity of access: WTO

WTO said that waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines will not be enough to narrow the huge supply gap between rich and poor countries.

Reported by: Bhavya Sukheja
COVID-19
IMAGE: AP/UNSPLASH | Image:self
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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) on May 20 said that waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines will not be enough to narrow the huge supply gap between rich and poor countries. South Africa and India have submitted proposals on the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights that would allow for a temporary waiver of certain aspects of TRIPS. While the WHO has noted that poorer countries have received just 17 per cent of doses, US President Joe Biden last week said that he supported the waiver idea. However, the European Union and other developed country opponents said that it will not increase output. 

While speaking to the European Parliament, WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said it was clear that an IP waiver alone would not be enough. Ngozi said that to have solved the unacceptable problem of “inequity of access” to vaccines, the world has to be “holistic”. “It’s not one or the other," she said, adding this could not drag out for years. 

Ngozi added that developing countries had complained the licensing process was cumbersome and should be improved. She said that manufacturers should work to expand production, pointing to idle capacity in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Senegal, South Africa. The WTO director-general even went on to say that there is also needed to be a transfer of technology and know-how, with vaccines often harder to produce than drugs. She added that she is convinced that the world can agree on a text that gives developing countries that kind of access and flexibility, whilst protecting research and innovation. 

It is worth mentioning that India, South Africa, and 57 members of WTO had made the proposal of waiver of certain provisions of the TRIPS agreement earlier in October 2020 to fight the battle of COVID-19. Trade experts suggest that WTO negotiations for the proposal could take months given that they overcome some member countries' important opposition. Health experts, doctors, and scientists have been stressing upon vaccination to win the fight against COVID-19. A global vaccination program needs to be conducted at a massive level as advised by experts. 

WHO Supports TRIPS Waiver

The WHO last week also supported the proposal of waiving TRIPS to COVID-19 vaccines at the WTO. WHO top scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that the global health body strongly recommends this as it is not the time to worry about profits. Currently, several countries of the world including India are struggling with a deadly spread of COVID-19 variants. She mentioned that WHO director-general Dr. Tedros has also spoken in support of the matter. 

"WHO strongly believes that the TRIPS waiver that has been proposed by India and South Africa should be done. DG Tedros has often spoken about this. This is not the time to worry about patents and profits amid the pandemic," added WHO Chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan. 

(Image: AP/Unsplash)

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Published May 20th, 2021 at 19:45 IST

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