Unequal Access to COVID-19 Treatments Threatens Global Recovery

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is witnessing enormous scientific advances in developing vaccines and treatments. However, access to these life-saving technologies remains vastly unequal, with more than a third of the global population yet to be vaccinated and low-income countries struggling to access treatments. The patent protections on these treatments have enabled high prices and profits for pharmaceutical companies, exacerbating the inequity. Meanwhile, negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 health products and technologies have stalled, with the EU, UK, and Switzerland opposing the proposal.

Key Takeaways:

• More than 11 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, but around 36% of the global population remains unvaccinated, and only 13.7% of people in low-income countries have received one or more doses.
• By the end of 2021, more boosters had been administered in high-income countries than the total doses given in low-income countries.
• The WHO target to vaccinate 70% of the population of every country by the end of June 2022 is unlikely to be met.
• Treatments like Paxlovid and Lagevrio have become increasingly important in fighting the pandemic, but access to these treatments is also uneven, with high prices and profits being made by pharmaceutical companies.
• Pfizer's patent applications for Paxlovid cover at least 61 countries, and multiple patent applications have been filed for molnupiravir in many high-income countries and some middle-income countries.
• Merck is charging US$712 (A$970) for a course of molnupiravir, around 40 times the cost of production, while Pfizer is charging US$530 (A$722) for a course of Paxlovid.
• The Medicine Patents Pool has entered into voluntary licensing agreements with both Pfizer and Merck, which will enable generic companies to make cheaper copies of the drugs for certain low-income countries.
• However, these licensing agreements are tightly restricted, and middle-income countries like Thailand, China, and Mexico are excluded from accessing affordable treatments.
• Rich countries are buying up the limited supplies of the patented products, with Pfizer expecting to manufacture 120 million courses of Paxlovid this year, 30 million of which have been pre-purchased by rich countries, including 20 million contracted to the United States.

Statistics:

• 11 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered worldwide.
• 36% of the global population remains unvaccinated.
• 13.7% of people in low-income countries have received one or more doses.
• 70% of the population of every country by the end of June 2022 is the WHO target.
• US$712 (A$970) is the price of a course of molnupiravir.
• US$530 (A$722) is the price of a course of Paxlovid.
• 61 countries are covered by Pfizer's patent applications for Paxlovid.
• 105 countries are eligible to receive generic copies of molnupiravir under Merck's agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool.
• 95 low and middle-income countries are eligible to receive generic copies of Paxlovid under Pfizer's license agreement.
• 120 million courses of Paxlovid are expected to be manufactured this year.
• 30 million courses of Paxlovid have been pre-purchased by rich countries.
• 20 million courses of Paxlovid have been contracted to the United States.

Sources:

• The Conversation, "Two years into the pandemic, unequal access to COVID-19 treatments threatens the global recovery"
• World Health Organization (WHO), "COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration"
• Pfizer, "Pfizer Announces Plans to Manufacture 120 Million Courses of Paxlovid"
• Merck, "Merck Announces Plans to Manufacture 20 Million Courses of Molnupiravir"
• Medicine Patents Pool, "Voluntary License Agreement with Pfizer"
• Medicine Patents Pool, "Voluntary License Agreement with Merck"