John Murphy, Chief Policy Officer at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), released the following statement regarding reports of a proposed deal on a Covid-19 vaccine intellectual property rights waiver: “While we have seen the reported outlines of an alleged compromise on the TRIPS waiver, we still need to see and review the full text before rendering a final judgment.  However, the irrational fixation on weakening IP is simply a distraction from the real challenge of overcoming global vaccine hesitancy, removing actual trade barriers, and helping countries to strengthen their healthcare infrastructure so that we can get more shots in arms.  In 2021 alone, companies produced more than 11 billion doses of COVID vaccines, enough to give two shots to every adult on the planet. “Strong, predictable intellectual property protections are what allowed biopharma companies to produce COVID vaccines and therapeutics in record time. It laid the foundation for cross-border partnerships, global scientific collaboration, and an unprecedented manufacturing scale-up that ensured vaccines could reach every corner of the world.  Dismantling the foundation of innovation—a strong and predictable IP system—will only make us less prepared to respond to the next pandemic and weaken our ability to develop new classes of medicines the world needs.”

“Retaliation of this kind will only serve to isolate Russian science and technology from the international mainstream. At the end of the day those who will be most hurt by this decision will not be innovative global companies, but Russian patients, scientists and consumers. “The reality is that global science and international cooperation will go on, just without Russia, further deepening their isolation and further darkening the long-term prospects for the Russian people, their economy and their society. This is just one more example of how myopic and dangerous decisions by Russian leadership are harming the Russian people. “BIO and our members strongly support efforts to ensure patients have access to medicines, both existing and yet to be created. Strong intellectual property protections are vital to a vibrant market for innovative biotechnology and for developing new treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. We urge the US government and our allies to pursue all efforts to both ensure patients have access to necessary medicines and for companies to have certainty that intellectual property is protected and promoted.”