What is the TRIPS waiver.

[billy the kid]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... d=msedgntp
https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/tr ... 20disputes.

"Last November, India and South Africa put a proposal, known as a TRIPS waiver, to the World Trade Organization (WTO), calling for the suspension of rights for patents, industrial designs, copyright and protection of undisclosed information relating to the research, development and production of medical products to combat COVID-19.

Since then, more than 100 of the WTO's 164 member nations have backed the proposal.

But the US, UK, Canada, Japan and Australia, along with a handful of other wealthy nations, opposed it, claiming a ban would stifle innovation.

The open letter calls on the Australian government to support the temporary removal of legal barriers at the next TRIPS council meeting of the WTO on 30th April.

"The TRIPS waiver is critical to effectively addressing COVID-19 and while it has seen significant support from health professionals and communities, it has continued to be blocked by the Australian government," the letter states.

Drug companies claim they have already been involved in an unprecedented level of collaboration, including between rival companies, to ensure maximum protection from COVID-19 around the world.

But they also stand to gain record profits as they sell their vaccine products around the world.

Pfizer, which is providing 40 million doses of vaccine to Australia, is predicting $US15 billion ($19.4 billion) in revenue this year from the vaccine."

WELL....its like putting the pieces of a jigsaw together isnt it....
Australia of course, kowtows to the US...we join with the US in objecting to the waiver..
Meanwhile Pfizer is predicting $US 15 billion in revenue this year...
IN other words...its all about MONEY....
It will be interesting to see what happens on the 30th April, as support for the waiver seems
to be increasing...
Needless to say, poorer countries throughout the world will continue to suffer if the
waiver does not eventuate....