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May 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday
supported waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19
vaccines, bowing to mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers
and more than 100 other countries, but angering pharmaceutical
firms.
Following are reactions to the latest developments.
WHO CHIEF TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS
Biden's move is a "MONUMENTAL MOMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
#COVID19", reflecting "the wisdom and moral leadership of the
United States", Tedros said on Twitter.
GAVI, THE GLOBAL VACCINE ALLIANCE
"We recognise also the significance of the (Biden)
administration’s commitment to work towards increasing raw
material production which will have an immediate impact on
alleviating current global supply constraints.
"Gavi urges now that in the interests of global equitable
access the US supports manufacturers to transfer not only IP but
also know-how in a bid to urgently boost global production."
SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT
"President (Cyril) Ramaphosa welcomes the position adopted
by the United States as an important reinforcement of a campaign
led by South Africa and India on behalf of emerging economies
that face vaccine shortages and production challenges.
"The anticipated temporary waiver provides a global response
to COVID-19. The proposal establishes a global solution to
enhance manufacturing and boost supply capacity, and enables
coordination and access to information currently under patent
protection.
"For countries that do not currently have manufacturing
capacity on certain medical technologies, the waiver could open
up more supply options and avoid countries being reliant on only
one or two suppliers. Where supply capacity currently exists, it
can be repurposed to COVID vaccine production and in this way
improve the supply available to all nations."
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON
"I am very much in favour of opening up intellectual
property. We must obviously make this vaccine a global public
good. The priority, today, is certainly to give doses. In the
short term, this is what will allow us to vaccinate people. And
the second thing is to produce, in partnership with the poorest
countries."
GERMAN HEALTH MINISTER JENS SPAHN
"We expressly share the U.S. president's goal. Providing the
whole world with vaccine is the only sustainable way out of this
pandemic. We will not be safe until everyone in the world is
safe.
"There are some ideas on how we can make this happen. Above
all, the further expansion of production facilities is crucial.
In addition, the countries of the world where vaccine is
produced must be prepared to export it to others. The EU is
ready to do this in word and deed. We look forward to the U.S.
now being as well."
THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL
MANUFACTURERS & ASSOCIATIONS (IFPMA)
"Waiving patents of COVID-19 vaccines will not increase
production nor provide practical solutions needed to battle this
global health crisis. On the contrary, it is likely to lead to
disruption.
"The only way to ensure quick scaling up of and equitable
vaccine access to all those in need remains pragmatic and
constructive dialogue with the private sector."
BRITAIN'S BIOINDUSTRY ASSOCIATION CEO STEVE BATES
"This is not a panacea. Just handing countries (and)
governments a recipe book without the ingredients, safeguards,
infrastructure and sizable workforce with the high skills needed
to deliver safe and effective vaccines will not speedily deliver
help to all those that need it.
"IP rights weren't the practical problem to scaling up
global vaccine production and waiving them isn't a simple
solution to what is a wicked problem. The innovative life
sciences industry has been a strong partner to get us where we
are today, with UK collaboration leading the world in
AstraZeneca/Oxford University in production and distribution
globally.
"Given that text-based talk at the WTO will now proceed for
months - my question to those who see this as the solution is
how and when will this result in additional doses being
administered around the world?"
RICHARD TORBETT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE
BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
"Companies have been working with international partners for
months to scale up the supply of vaccines, voluntarily licensing
and transferring technology where it safe to do so. The real
challenges are a lack of advanced manufacturing skills and
critical raw materials.
"Globally we must now focus on sharing excess doses of
vaccines, maintaining the free movement of raw materials and
properly funding COVAX - all of which the UK government has
committed to doing.
"We share the goal of getting COVID-19 vaccines to the
people who need them as fast as possible, but waiving IP is not
the solution. In the short term, it will hinder vaccine scale-up
and in the long term significantly impact global investment into
new vaccines and medicines, including for future pandemics."
AUSTRALIAN TRADE MINISTER DAN TEHAN
"We welcome this positive development and look forward to
working with the U.S. and others to find solutions that boost
the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
"Close collaboration between governments and vaccine
manufacturers will remain vital."
NEW ZEALAND TRADE MINISTER DAMIEN O'CONNOR
"New Zealand supports the waiver of IP protections on
vaccines as an important part of our collective efforts to
address the human catastrophe of the pandemic.
"We are also working in APEC, the WTO and other fora to
address other elements of vaccine supply issues including
through the supply chains that are limiting the availability of
vaccines regionally and globally."
ITALIAN MINISTER OF HEALTH ROBERTO SPERANZA
"Biden's breakthrough on free access to vaccine patents for
all is an important step forward. Europe must also play its
part. This pandemic has taught us that we can only win
together."
FATIMA HASSAN, DIRECTOR OF SOUTH AFRICA'S HEALTH JUSTICE
INITIATIVE:
"These are the first major steps to vaccinate the world
against COVID-19. The pressure from many individuals and groups
has yielded far-reaching results with the U.S. government
supporting the TRIPS waiver on vaccines.
"Now, text-based negotiations - as called for by South
Africa and India - must be expedited and transparent, and not
deferential to pharmaceutical companies – without watering down
the original waiver proposal."
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
"It is crucial that the waiver not just apply to
preventative vaccines, but it should also cover other medical
tools for COVID-19, including treatments for people who fall ill
and diagnostics to help curb the spread, as originally proposed
seven months ago.
"While this decision means other manufacturers will have the
information they need from pharmaceutical corporations - and the
legal permission - to help scale up global supply and get more
shots into the arms of people everywhere, this won't happen
immediately.
"For the remaining countries that continue to oppose the WTO
waiver..., they must drop their objections and put people’s
health before pharmaceutical profits, and waive IP on all
COVID-19 medical tools, including vaccines."
OXFAM HEALTH POLICY MANAGER ANNA MARRIOTT
“In this moment of crisis, we applaud the decision of
President Biden and his administration to pursue a new path that
prioritizes public health over private profits.
"This is a testament to the widespread public movement
calling for an end to vaccine monopolies.
“We are at a crucial point in the fight against coronavirus,
yet we have remained essentially at the mercy of a handful of
giant pharmaceutical corporations that have monopoly control
over the life-saving technologies we all need. The UK shouldn't
be left standing on the wrong side of history and must join the
U.S. in doing the right thing for humanity.
“We will now look to the White House for leadership in a
strong WTO outcome, in urgently insisting on the transfer of
technologies through the World Health Organization COVID-19
Technology Access pool, and in investing strategically to build
up regional vaccine hubs to defeat this and future pandemics."
GORDON BROWN, U.N. GLOBAL AMBASSADOR AND FORMER BRITISH
PRIME MINISTER
"I welcome the American decision on temporary patent waiver
which makes the COVID-19 vaccine accessible. Now we must make
the vaccine affordable. No one is safe until everyone is safe
and on June 11, at the G7 meeting, the richest countries should
make the momentous decision to pay two thirds of the $60 billion
cost of vaccinating the world."
(Reporting by Reuters staff
Editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Heinrich)
