The world faces its worst health crisis in recent history. Johns Hopkins University puts the overall global COVID-19 caseload at 154.7 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.23 million. While some countries unite to put an end to the pandemic, some seemingly oppose the ideas in guise of policies and bureaucracy. Waiving patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines could bolster the process of inoculations, especially in developing countries.
Shortly after US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that US has agreed to temporarily lift intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in against the idea. Merkel also casted her doubts on whether the US proposal will have enough international support to become a reality.
Germany opposes waiver
Many industrialised European countries, including the UK and Switzerland, and some major pharmaceutical companies oppose the waiver seeing it as opening the doors to a broader weakening of intellectual property rights that could affect future innovation. Now, Germany sides with them, a move that shows Merkel's sympathy towards drugmakers such as German-based BioNTech and Mainz.
"The limiting factor for the production of vaccines are manufacturing capacities and high-quality standards, not the patents. The protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and this has to remain so in the future," a German government spokeswoman was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
Officials and diplomats in Brussels cautioned that WTO discussions will take months and won't get a full vote of favour as only partial waivers will be signed off. They suggested that the immediate solution would be if the US and the UK among other countries ramp up production of vaccines and export more to the countries that need them.
The German spokesperson criticised US proposal, saying it would only create "severe complications" in the production of the vaccines as countries might not be equipped to produce such advanced treatments. Bill Gates has also opposed the waiver echoing a similar view questioning the ability to develop countries to maintain quality standards.
US proposal lauded by WHO, others
The World Health Organisation lauded the commitment by the US as its proposal could help produce more vaccines globally. The decision to temporarily lift IP rights for COVID-19 vaccines could be in vaccine manufacturing many developing nations, like Africa where manufacturing is not happening.
"I commend the United States on its historic decision for vaccine equity and prioritizing the well-being of all people everywhere at a critical time. Now let's all move together swiftly, in solidarity, building on the ingenuity and commitment of scientists who produced life-saving COVID-19 vaccines," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement, on Wednesday.
Last October, India and South Africa made the proposal for the waiver, officially known as the Temporary Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), for materials needed to fight the pandemic "until widespread vaccination is in place globally, and the majority of the world's population has developed immunity." Since then, 60 WTO members, including Pakistan, have co-sponsored it.
Indian-American House of Representatives member Ro Khanna welcomed the Biden administration's decision, tweeting: "Thank you @POTUS for putting life & dignity over very powerful interests."
