Despite their different manufacturing sources and successive
approvals granted by pertinent international and national bodies,
COVID-19
vaccines succeeded in gaining scientific recognition for being an effective
means for combatting the pandemic.
اضافة اعلان
Vaccine production companies are in fierce competition,
which increases the “monopoly” on vaccine production. Moreover, there is a lack
of fair distribution as well as a disparity of capabilities among countries in
their ability to secure enough vaccines to immunize their citizens. These
challenges combined, provoke a search for additional sources that can make
adequate quantities of the vaccine available.
Such a prudent goal can only be achieved by increasing the
volume of production to manufacture larger quantities of the vaccine,
specifically for middle-and-low income countries on different continents.
Unfortunately, the continued “monopoly” of vaccine production and the lack of
required quantities, will doom these countries to a dim and unknown future.
Such a destiny can be averted if less focus is given to the industrial and
lucrative aspects of vaccine production, and if these big companies waive
vaccine patent rights.
The international appeals have already begun to be heard at
all levels, most recent of which was the statement of US President Joe Biden.
In his statement, President Biden expressed support for the proposal to waive
COVID-19 vaccine patents, which came in response to the pressures of American
democratic lawmakers and more than a hundred countries. US trade representative
to the World Trade Organization Catherine Tai also confirmed Washington’s
commitment to a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19
vaccines as an extraordinary measure despite the importance of such rights.
In turn, the director-general of the World Health
Organization, Tedros Adhanom, expressed gratitude for the recent US statements
supporting suspension of the intellectual property rights for COVID-19
vaccines. This waiver, even temporarily, was previously called for by former
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and a
number of leaders and concerned parties. They called for the adoption an
international initiative through communication with all international
governmental and private bodies and institutions with the aim of accelerating
global vaccine rollout and stopping its “monopoly”.
They considered this a critical measure needed to end the
pandemic that the world is forcefully battling to end. Suspension of these
intellectual property rights means that it’s time for these institutions,
companies, and countries to have the human and scientific know-how to end and
control the spread of the virus. Figures and statistics indicate that most
vaccine production is used by rich countries, and only a small amount goes to
low-income countries. According to recent news report, about one and a quarter
of a billion doses were distributed throughout the world, with the share of 29
poor countries not exceeding 1 percent.
Suspension of intellectual property rights in relation to
COVID-19 vaccines, even if temporary, will make the vaccine available to less
fortunate countries, especially the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America,
and even many European countries. These countries could grant concessions and
facilities for manufacturers and owners of well-known brands to produce
vaccines, even if that is for a specific period of time. Consequently, an
abundance of production quantities will be achieved, which in turn will enable
the world to expand vaccination coverage to desired levels, which cannot be
achieved in isolation from the inclusion of all countries with available and
duly approved vaccines.
We hope to see this step materialize — the temporary
suspension of patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines — quickly and effectively and
not to get caught up in bureaucracy, lobbying, and matters that would delay
such a positive demand. It should be stressed that vaccines are a global public
good. It is a right held by all people of all segments, and the international
community must abide by equity as a basic right, in accordance with
international conventions and legislation.
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