MEDICINE TODAY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RULES FOR COVID-19 VACCINES WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RULES FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINES? WOULD IT BOOST GLOBAL ACCESS TO VACCINES AND PROMOTE VACCINE EQUITY? By
Rulan Zhang Emory Kim
Although scientists have worked to develop vaccines at lightning speed, the challenge now lies in the distribution of the COVID19 vaccine to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. The equation for successful vaccination of enough people globally against COVID-19 is extremely complicated, as it often involves many more uncertainties and factors that studies cannot necessarily encompass. On a surface level, we are already seeing how factors such as politics can cause delays in distribution, with countries imposing export controls on vaccine components. The complexity of vaccine production, often involving hundreds of parts, means that supply chains could easily break down, leading to shortfalls in fulfilling manufacturing targets. In terms of more deep-rooted problems, it is becoming increasingly clear that the distribution of global vaccination is distinctly unbalanced: those living in developed nations are gaining access to vaccines much faster than those in
developing countries. Currently, the majority of COVID-19 doses are going to wealthier countries, leaving many less economically developed countries (LEDCs) behind and almost entirely dependent on the COVAX scheme run by WHO. While COVID-19 vaccine rollout has now begun in more than 159 countries, vaccination rates in many low-resource nations remain low to nonexistent. As of December 2020, high-income countries representing 14% of the world population have 53% of the global supply of vaccines this included 100% of Moderna’s vaccine and 96% of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Due to the vast inequities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, it would take approximately 4.6 years to gain worldwide herd immunity with the current rate of 6.7 million vaccine doses per day. Achieving herd immunity via vaccination requires enough people worldwide to be vaccinated, not just those in wealthier countries. It is clear that the status quo of vaccine roll-out simply may not
be sufficient to meet the ambitious targets that have been set, making it extremely challenging to end the current pandemic and prepare for ones to come. COVID-19 vaccines are by no means the first time that clear inequity has been seen with the distribution of crucial healthcare tools, therapeutics and efforts. Debates over the waiving of intellectual property (IP) rules for various healthcare therapeutics have persisted for years. While IP rights act as a critical incentive for pharmaceutical companies to invest in research and development (R&D) to constantly update and develop healthcare therapeutics, it allows companies to have monopolies over their products, which thus leads to an increase in price and exclusivity. The one regarding waiving IP rules for COVID-19 vaccines is in many ways no different and is bringing the dichotomy between IP rights and public health to the limelight. India and South Africa appealed to the World Trade Organisation
autumn 2021 || 15
