Waiving Patent Rights on Coronavirus Vaccines: A Moral Imperative for Global Health

Strategic Insights -

The continued disparity in coronavirus vaccination rates between rich and poor countries poses a significant threat to the global effort against Covid-19. As only 6.2% of people in low-income countries had received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine by December, compared to 81% of over-12s in the UK, the urgency for action cannot be overstated. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have jointly called on the UK Government to waive intellectual property rights on patented vaccines and technology to produce them, thereby enabling less-developed countries to respond to the pandemic.

Key Takeaways:

  • The inequality in vaccine production and administration between rich and poor countries is a stain on the collective global health effort, with 6.2% of people in low-income countries receiving at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine compared to 81% of over-12s in the UK.
  • Temporarily suspending patent rights covering Covid-19 related technology, particularly vaccines, will help ramp up vaccine access in developing countries and aid the fight against Covid-19.
  • The UK Government must learn from past mistakes and take the morally right step by waiving intellectual property rights to vaccine patents in support of access to vaccines around the world.
  • The UK has been criticized for blocking the waiver to support access to vaccines, with the country investing in Oxford-AstraZeneca and committing to donate surplus vaccines but failing to relinquish patent rights.
  • Astrazeneca's decision to begin selling its Covid-19 vaccine for a profit despite having previously pledged not to do so for as long as the pandemic remains a public health issue raises concerns about the prioritization of profits over public health.

Statistics:

  • 6.2% of people in low-income countries received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine by December, compared to 81% of over-12s in the UK.
  • 97% of the funding used to create Astrazeneca's Covid vaccine came from the public purse or charitable trusts.
  • 18.5 million doses of vaccines have been donated to developing countries through the Covax scheme.
  • 30 million doses of vaccines are set to be donated by the UK by the end of this year, with an additional 18.5 million doses donated to Covax for distribution to developing countries.

Sources:

  • Blackford, I. "Waiving patent rights on coronavirus vaccines will be the 'morally right step'" The Scotsman, December 28, 2021.
  • Sturgeon, N. "Letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for waiving patent protection for Covid-19 vaccines." Scottish Government.
  • "UK invests in Oxford-AstraZeneca and commits to donate surplus vaccines." UK Government Press Release, March 2021.
  • Universities Allied for Essential Medicines UK. "Study on funding of Astrazeneca's Covid vaccine." 2021.