Amnesty international seeks waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents

Amnesty International stressed the COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted inequalities, with marginalized sections being more adversely affected by the lack of equal access to healthcare. The organization felt that the way vaccines were produced and distributed only magnified this disparity.

"To reverse this trend, States must remove any potential barriers to boost global supply by agreeing to the proposed TRIPS Waiver at the World Trade Organization (WTO) ... States also must work with COVAX to redistribute doses in a fair, timely, and inclusive manner, rather than engaging in bilateral agreements," the group said in a speech delivered to the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The organization added that to facilitate access to healthcare, the international community should prompt pharmaceutical companies to "loosen their grip on intellectual property rights and share knowledge and technology," including joining the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Costa Rica to share the vaccine science and technology.

The TRIPS waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa in late 2020, with the states arguing it would help increase vaccine production, particularly in lower-income countries. The initiative was later supported by the WHO.