DNA Exclusive: COVID-19 pandemic, WTO and patent politics on global fora

New Delhi: American scientist Jonas Salk, who created the polio vaccine in 1955 refused to get a patent for it. Because of that, the world was able to beat the terrible disease. But times have changed and humans have changed too. About 3.2 million people have died from the coronavirus worldwide but despite this, the vaccines have not been made patent-free as the companies making these vaccines do not want their money-printing machines shut down.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Friday (May 7) discussed the patent politics being played on the global fora while the common man is suffering from the pandemic.

At present, there are more people in the world and fewer vaccines. Because of this, there is a shortage of vaccines in many countries. Many poor countries do not have vaccines at all. This crisis can end only when the production of vaccines can be started in every country. But patents are a major hurdle in this.

In the month of October last year, India and South Africa sent a proposal to the World Trade Organization demanding the removal of the Intellectual Property rights of the coronavirus vaccine. Both countries said that all the research related to the vaccine and all the information related to their manufacture should be shared with other companies also so that they can also produce the vaccine.

After several months of debate on this proposal, now the US has also given its support to it. Apart from the US, the European Union has also said that it is ready to discuss it. Britain has also agreed.

But one country is still opposed to this - Germany. Its view is that the production of the vaccines cannot be increased by making them patent-free. The important thing is that the WTO will need the support of all countries to pass the proposal of India and South Africa. The chances of it happening don’t look good.

The US has two major vaccines Pfizer and Moderna. If it agrees to remove the patent from the vaccines, then the pressure will increase on other countries as well.

However, it is not so easy. Because first of all the member countries have to agree on this subject in the WTO. And even if an agreement is reached, the companies making the vaccines can approach the court. The case can get entangled for a long time, while the world needs vaccines now.

The pharma companies cite two arguments against making vaccines patent-free. The first is that even after removing the patent, companies will not be able to produce it, because to make a vaccine raw material is required which is limited. The second argument is that in the name of higher production, fake vaccines will enter the market, due to which people can die.

What can the Government of India do?

The central government can issue the Compulsory License to third-party companies for the manufacture of Covaxin. This is not possible in case of Covishield as its patent lies with the Oxford University. Serum Institute of India Company of India is only producing it.

If the vaccines are made patent-free, not just the people of our country will get the benefit, but it will ensure that the vaccines are available to the poorest of people around the world. This is what India wants.