India looks into changing the rules for vaccine flow

India could consider amending its proposal on a temporary waiver in global intellectual property agreements, to ensure uninterrupted flow of vaccines amid the ongoing pandemic, to get the US, the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Japan and Australia that are opposing it, on board. A final decision on the amendment is expected soon, government officials said.The joint proposal by India and South Africa calls for a waiver for all World Trade Organization (WTO) members of certain provisions of copyrights, industrial designs, patents and protection of undisclosed information in the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement for prevention, containment or treatment of Covid-19. Made in October last year, the proposal has the support of almost a hundred countries now. However, it has not moved forward to text-based negotiations as the US, the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Japan and Australia, among others have opposed it.Officials said consultations are on with the 100-odd co-sponsors of the proposal before any decision is taken. “We have to consult every co-sponsor because they supported the first draft. We are already in touch with the co-sponsors on the issue of a revised text,” said an official.82263943The proposal seeks to avoid barriers to the timely access to affordable medical products including vaccines and medicines or to scaling-up of research, development, manufacturing and supply of essential medical products.As per the official, there is a feeling that some counties are not willing to engage because the proposal looks broad and sweeping and that its tweaking will help them bring them to the negotiating table.“However, there is another thought that revisions usually happen after negotiations begin and it may not be a good idea to do so now,” the official said.India has said that the world needs around 10 billion doses of vaccines annually and the existing approach of voluntary licenses could deliver only 4% of the projected output in 2020, that is 31 million doses.“Could members who claim that voluntary licenses are working explain how and from where the current requirements will be met,” India asked the WTO members last week at a meeting at the organisation.As per a Geneva-based official, developed countries have suggested facilitating the use of compulsory licensing legislation, barriers to which have been one of the main complaints of developing and least-developed members and the possibility of exploring ways to ensure that compulsory licensing procedures are streamlined for exporting members, and that the product labelling and packaging rules do not create unnecessary hurdles.

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