COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver

The news surrounding the development and rollout of global vaccines for COVID-19 vaccine is constantly evolving. While some countries expect to reach majority vaccination by summer 2021, others may be waiting for several years. In the meantime, millions more people are likely to contract the virus and many thousands more may die.

The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) is just one of a suite of trade-related treaties that make up the World Trade Organization, whose primary role is to protect intellectual property rights worldwide. While the TRIPS Agreement is widely considered to allow sufficient policy space – flexible rules permitting countries to do what they need to do – in the context of public health (compared to other treaties), COVID-19 has presented the world with challenges unseen since the formation of the agreement. In response to these extraordinary circumstances, South Africa and India proposed a temporary waiver of certain TRIPS provisions in October of 2020.

The Boston University Global Development Policy Center team and its Working Group on Access to Medicines has since committed substantial time to understanding and commenting on this issue, writing extensively in support of the Waiver and providing thought leadership on critical access to medicines during the pandemic.

One of these critical publications was a March 2021 policy brief entitled, “Vaccinating the World: Waiving Intellectual Property Rules on COVID-19 Products.” The development of multiple viable vaccines to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic in less than a year was an incredible scientific achievement which is now undermined by severe vaccine inequality. A September 2021 policy brief entitles, “Three Pillars of Vaccine Equity: Triaging the Global Vaccination Challenge,” analyzed how an inequitable vaccination program could prolong the pandemic for many years through cycles of mutation, resistance and reinfection and is likely to cost untold loss of life, human well-being and economic stability.

Read the latest work on the global vaccination effort:

Latest Work on the TRIPS Waiver

• GDP Center Round-up: 13th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, Abu Dhabi

  February 15, 2024

  By Rachel Thrasher From February 26-29 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will meet for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13). Like many international institutions, the WTO faces the challenge of meeting its original... [ More ]

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