This Sunday the World Trade Organisation holds its Ministerial Conference – a crunch point in the battle for vaccine access. We and partners around the world have been campaigning for a suspension of intellectual property rules on Covid-19 vaccines, treatments and technologies for over 18 months now. And since this vital proposal was made by India and South Africa in October 2020, together we’ve achieved so much. 

We need to put maximum pressure on the UK government to back a genuine waiver of intellectual property at the WTO, not the stitch-up currently pushed by the EU and other rich countries. 

Over 100 countries in the world support the original proposal, and leading scientists, economists, faith leaders, medical professionals, civil society groups and patient leaders are all also fighting in our corner. 

Can you write to Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP now to stand in solidarity with over 100 countries? 

Together we have helped put the issue of pharma monopolies front and centre at the WTO.  

The pushback from those who profiteer from the system has been fierce. Back in March this year, an alternative text was leaked that was used to spread a false narrative of compromise. (1) This draft falls far short of the original waiver proposal. Indeed, in many aspects it is worse than what we already have. What’s more, the UK Government has made proposals which would hand even more power to the big pharmaceutical corporations and make it harder still for governments to produce vital medicines for their people. 

It is beyond disgraceful that now, 18 months after India and South Africa first proposed their waiver proposal, we are still engaged in these discussions. As former World Bank economist Joe Stiglitz said recently, "The drug companies did not want a quick response. The slower the response, the higher their profits. More people died, but that's not their concern. Their concern was profits over people's lives." 

Ask the trade secretary to back a genuine waiver of intellectual property at the WTO. 

 
Why is the WTO ‘compromise’ not good enough? First, instead of breaking down barriers to access, this text could even make it harder for countries in the global south. For example, it asks that countries list every single patent when they request to waive them, an almost impossible task given that vaccines are often made up of over 200 individual components.   
 

Second, this proposal is only about vaccines, not the tests and treatments which are increasingly important in halting Covid.  Pharmaceutical corporations are doing everything possible to maintain control of these anti-viral treatments, perpetuating Covid inequality.  
 

But even this shoddy compromise is too much for the British government, who continue to be cheerleaders for Big Pharma. We need to make clear that they are not pursuing this action in our name, and they must urgently change course.

Write to International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan to let her know we demand a real TRIPS waiver! 

Thank you, 
Alena Ivanova 
Campaigner at Global Justice Now 

 

More info 
 
1. Leaked Proposal on COVID Medicines Waiver Helps No One But Floundering WTO, Public Citizen, 15 March 2022

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