Thread by @surajbrf

Great thread that takes apart WSJ's predictable opposition to the TRIPS waiver that would help expand COVID vaccine production. The @WSJ is stridently focused on avoiding any attempt to learn from history.

@prasannavishy @c_aashish @amargov @centerofright

https://twitter.com/realtahiramin/status/1331010833586020353

The TRIPS waiver was first mooted in October 2020 by India and South Africa:

docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/S…

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A wider document was circulated in January 2021 with the signatories list expanding dramatically:

docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/F…

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The October and January efforts both failed. The meetings were closed door events:

lifesciencesipreview.com/news/wto-decli…

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The following WTO summary page has details on communications by different countries on this topic, from late Feb 2021:

wto.org/english/news_e…

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In the US, the pharma lobby pushed Biden to oppose the waiver in early March, using standard cut and paste arguments dating back decades:

jdsupra.com/legalnews/bio-…

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On March 11 , the WTO declined the TRIPS waiver a third time:

law360.com/articles/13634…

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The current effort is the fourth one. It has resulted in lobbying on both sides:

aipla.org/detail/news/20…
reuters.com/business/healt…

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It's unclear if it will pass. On the positive side, India has not one but potentially at least two unique vaccine IPs (Covaxin and the DNA-based Zycov-D in advanced trials).

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This is a departure in one more way: Covaxin is the only inactivated viral vaccine. Previous examples quoted have involved clean room re-engineering of western IP. Covaxin & Zycov-D are the first vaccines using their respective technologies in the world.

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However this does not mean India should not support the waiver any longer - there are simply too many people still a long way from accessing vaccines, even if India can independently devise and manufacture what it needs for itself.

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