Biopharmas ask Biden to reject compulsory licensing of COVID-19 medicines

The U.S. biopharmaceutical industry is urging the Biden administration to oppose a proposal for the World Trade Organization to issue a waiver of IP protections for COVID-19 vaccines and drugs. The industry push comes ahead of a debate on the topic expected this week at the WTO’s Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

The idea of giving countries the ability to impose compulsory licensing requirements on vaccine manufacturers has been championed by the governments of South Africa and India. In a proposal submitted to the WTO TRIPS Council in October, they asserted that patents and trade secrets have prevented developing countries from manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines and therapies. The proposal calls for the suspension of IP on COVID medical countermeasures for the duration of the pandemic crisis. ...