COVID-19 pharmaceuticals
The TRIPS waiver on Covid-19 pharmaceuticals and the Big Pharma
June 2, 2021
There is a raging debate about whether or not the WTO should temporarily waive some intellectual property rights of Covid-19 pharmaceuticals. Developed countries oppose the proposal, but recently the US has announced its limited support, while the EU continues to wrangle over its necessity. For proponents, the waiver would speed up and scale up vaccine production and contribute to a faster vaccination process in poorer countries.