ABPI statement on intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines
The United States has said it will support a proposal to waive intellectual property and patents on COVID-19 vaccines.
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. Richard Torbett
In response, Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the ABPI, said:
"Companies have been working with international partners for months to scale up the supply of vaccines, voluntarily licensing and transferring technology where it is 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."
- Intellectual Property
- TRIPS waiver
Last modified: 20 September 2023
Last reviewed: 20 September 2023
