The fourth episode in the Coffee with a Colleague seminar series considers the debate over intellectual property and access to essential medicines in the context of the public health challenges presented by the coronavirus COVID-19.
Dr Matthew Rimmer and Dr Muhammad Zaheer Abbas discuss the problems of vaccine nationalism and commercial profiteering in respect of the development of new COVID-19 technologies. Policy flexibilities such as the People’s Vaccine, the ACT-Accelerator, C-TAP, patent pools, compulsory licensing, crown use, and public sector licensing are discussed to provide additional depth. They also explore the recent discussion in the TRIPS Council of a proposal by India and South Africa for there to be a TRIPS Waiver in respect of COVID-19 technologies.
Watch the full seminar below or via QUTube.