COVID-19 Pandemic

European Parliament Development Committee supports change to WTO rules for fairer global access to vaccines

May 24, 2021: The European Parliament Development Committee voted on May 20, 2021, to call on the European Union to support the suspension of intellectual property rights in the World Trade Organisation for vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 while the pandemic lasts.

The resolution “calls for the EU to set up a clear and coherent EU global COVID-19 vaccination strategy, focusing on ensuring equal, affordable and timely access to vaccination for people in developing countries.”

Why Australia must back the movement to waive WTO rules on vaccine patents

May 17, 2021: Unless all countries can vaccinate against COVID-19 in the next 12 months, new variants of the coronavirus are likely to force ongoing lockdowns even in countries like the USA and UK, which are rapidly vaccinating their entire populations, argued Dr Deborah Gleeson in the Canberra Times. Dr Gleeson is an associate professor in public health at La Trobe University.

Take Action - tell PM Morrison to support COVID vaccines for all

May 10, 2021: The US now supports changing trade rules to speed up access to COVID-19 vaccines for all - and so should Australia!

Under current trade rules, pharmaceutical companies control access to vaccines, rich countries are at the head of the queue and most people in poor countries will not get vaccines until 2023.

The US, New Zealand and other governments are now supporting a waiver to WTO trade rules that would give quicker access to COVID-19 vaccines for all, but the Morrison government is still resisting.

Pfizer predicts huge revenue increase from COVID-19 vaccine sales, opposes suspension of any patent rights

May 5, 2021: Pfizer significantly increased revenue projections from its Covid-19 vaccine for the year, as the vaccine sales in the first three months of 2021 lifted the company to a stronger quarterly profit. The vaccine contributed US$3.5 billion in revenue in the first three months of 2021.

Pages