The COVID-19 vaccine patent: a right without rationale

Abstract

Since the approval of COVID-19 vaccines, international efforts have intensified on vaccination schemes perceived as the only light at the end of the tunnel. Governments are working tirelessly to scale up the number of vaccinated people, just as vaccine manufacturers are stretching their facilities to meet the increasing demand for doses. The international community is trying to help the poorest countries in the world by improving vaccine supplies and removing obstacles. In this regard, India and South Africa have applied to World Trade Organisation to waive vaccine-related intellectual property rights. The proposal has sparked off academic debates as to its merit. This article addresses the waiver controversy. Following a critical review of both dimensions of the controversy, the article concentrates on the extent to which the waiver application contradicts the theoretical justification of the patent system. It concludes that the concerns raised over the conflict between the waiver proposal and the patent right philosophy are indefensible.

Repercussions of COVID-19 Lockdown on Implementation of Children’s Rights to Education

“…By August 2022, more than 578 million positive cases were documented globally. Even though vaccines were made available from December 2020, and 70% of the world population was fully vaccinated by May 2022 [ 1 ], to date the number of viral infection has continued to increase [ 2 ]. Consequently, several state governments used different control measures, including lockdowns, to combat the epidemic.…”