The World Health Organization has supported India and South Africa’s proposal to the World Trade Organization to relax intellectual property agreements that might pose a challenge to gain access to Covid-19 vaccine, once it is available.
As per reports, relaxing the provisions pertaining to intellectual property rights could not only speed up the vaccine development process but would also allow poorer and developing countries to gain access to it.
“As new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for Covid-19 are developed, there are significant concerns how these will be made available promptly in sufficient quantities and at an affordable price to meet global demand,” the two countries said in their appeal.
As per reports, the joint submission to the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights argues that if the existing safeguard is not removed, then certain countries, particularly developing ones which have borne the brunt of the pandemic, will find it hard to gain access to COVID-19 vaccines and other relevant medicines.
The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany have already finalised deals with several vaccine manufacturers for procurement of millions of doses.
Not only vaccines but procuring test kits, medicines will also be difficult for poor countries as the race of vaccines becomes intense across the world.
India and South Africa’s joint submission reportedly seeks waivers in rules that relate to multiple areas such as copyright, industrial designs, patents and the protection of undisclosed information or trade secrets.