COVID-19 Pandemic: Should Nations Resort to Compulsory Licensing of Drugs and Vaccines?
$ 42.5
Description
The study examines the pros and cons of compulsory licensing as a possible way for developing countries to overcome patent protection and in that way facilitate - among other things - access to drugs at affordable prices especially in the backdrop of the pandemic. The crucial issues on the IP Vs Pandemic front are: (a)What is the IP and technological landscape of Covid-19 vaccines and drugs? (b) Is IP a barrier in scaling up production when technology licenses are available? As the world continues to battle the coronavirus, conflicts may arise between government and private owners of patents that cover vaccines, therapies and drugs. Several drugs that are at the core of the COVID treatment protocol are under patents in India. These include Remdesivir - patented by Gilead - Tociluzumab and Favipiravir. And there is a dire shortage of many of them. Public interest dictates that any drug or vaccine developed to tackle the pandemic be available widely and at a reasonable price.