Last week the government had the chance to support a global initiative calling on countries to join efforts for vaccines and treatments without big pharma patents and monopolies. Patent-free vaccines could mean access based on need not on wealth. But the UK refused to support the initiative and has previously tried to water down its aims. Meanwhile British big pharma companies involved in developing Covid-19 vaccines, GlaxoSmithKlein and AstraZeneca, refused to take part. And the director of the international pharmaceutical lobby said he was “too busy” to join the meeting.

Tomorrow’s summit is a chance for Boris Johnson to prove that his words aren’t empty and that the power of the pharmaceutical industry will not deter his government from challenging them when the time comes. 

Will you sign the petition to urge the government to make sure that all vaccines are affordable for those who need them everywhere?

Not only does a lack of global collaboration signal the need for a system incentivised by public need, it proves how out of touch the government and big pharma really are. A recent poll by the Wellcome Trust showed that 90% of the UK support Covid-19 medicines being made available to everywhere based on need. 

As public money continues to foot the bill for vaccine development because it’s too much of a ‘risk’ for big pharma, tomorrow’s summit is a chance for the government to side with people’s health, not a system designed to make profit. 

Sign the petition. Tell the government that it must stand up to the pharmaceutical industry and put people’s health everywhere first

PS. You can read more about how the UK government is undermining global operation for a coronavirus vaccine in our article for the Guardian yesterday.


Notes

Help ensure that any Covid-19 vaccine is affordable for everyone, everywhere

We are campaigning for the government to attach conditions on all UK funding for a Covid-19 vaccine so that big pharmaceuticals don’t charge extortionate prices, and leave millions of people around the world unable to access it. 

Regular gifts give us the long-term stability to plan effective campaigns and the flexibility to respond to crises like these.

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