US U-Turn on COVID IP Waiver Alone Will Not Solve Vaccine Crisis – Intellectual Property Is an Important Part of the Debate, but Greater Transparency Is Required

Abstract

The Covid response requires a toolkit of policies to ensure adequate vaccine manufacturing and delivery. The significance of IP and its interface with collaboration and knowledge transfer in responding to these challenges must be key components of that approach. Irrespective of the unsolved questions related to the US announcement and the reasons behind it, the focus on the role of IP should trigger greater transparency and further studies, more nuanced debates and more innovative approaches for tackling such challenges. This must include not only pandemic responses, but also global justice, climate change, antimicrobial resistance and the associated collective action problems.

Keywords: Health Law, Life Science Law, Covid-19, Vaccinations