'The WTO must begin to act on behalf of all countries it claims to represent—not on behalf of a few rich countries in the pockets of the pharmaceutical giants.'
currently under discussion could establish even more intellectual property barriers, further hindering the production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics—and potentially undermining low-income nations' ability to fight future pandemics."People continue to die from Covid-19 without access to lifesaving treatments," reads the letter, which was published on what was originally supposed to be the final day of the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference.
The 150-group public health coalition—which includes Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam International, and the South Africa-based Health Justice Initiative—argued Wednesday that it is"indefensible that the draft ministerial decision does not immediately apply to all Covid-19 medical tools, including therapeutics and diagnostics."