COVID-19: BRICS backs vaccine patent waiver plan proposed by India, South Africa

In a notable move, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa or BRICS on June 1 backed India and South Africa’s joint proposal to temporarily wave COVID-19 vaccine patents amid pandemic. In a joint statement on Tuesday, BRICS, known for ir significant regional influence, called for ir equitable access and distribution while ensuring transparency on its prices. External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar chaired 13th BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting and opened summit by stating BRICS aims “for a fair, just, inclusive, equitable and representative multipolar international system."

BRICS joint statement said, “ Ministers reaffirmed need to use all relevant measures during pandemic, including supporting ongoing consideration in WTO on a Covid-19 vaccine Intellectual Property Rights waiver and use of flexibilities of TRIPS agreement and Doha Declaration on TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.”

“y also reiterated need for sharing of vaccine doses, transfer of technology, development of local production capacities and supply chains for medical products, promotion of price transparency and called for exercise of due restraint in implementation of measures that could hinder flow of vaccines, health products and essential inputs,” y ded.

India-South Africa proposal of October 2020 says that property rights such as patents, industrial designs, copyright and protection of undisclosed information delays timely access to affordable vaccines and medicines that are essential to combat COVID-19 pandemic. nations have also demanded waiver to be practised for an unspecified time period allowing yearly review until its termination.

COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Waiver Won't Be Enough: WTO

Meanwhile, World Tre Organisation (WTO) on May 20 noted that waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines will not be enough to narrow huge supply gap between rich and poor countries. South Africa and India have alrey submitted proposals on WTO’s Agreement on Tre-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) that would allow for a temporary waiver of certain aspects. While WHO has noted that poorer countries have received just 17% of doses, US President Joe Biden last week said that he supported waiver idea. However, European Union and or developed country opponents said that it will not increase output. 

IMAGE: Twitter/PTI