Millions of people in low-income countries don't have access to tests or treatments because only 10% of them have had one vaccine dose.
A proposal from India and South Africa, supported by over 100 countries, for a temporary waiver on WTO rules for intellectual property monopolies on Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments will be voted on by WTO member states this week.
Technology and knowledge would be shared so things like vaccines and tests could be made cheaply in these countries.
The European Union, United Kingdom and Switzerland have blocked the waiver.
The need for equitable access to rapid tests and treatments has been demonstrated by the recent development of new treatments.
Large-scale increased production at affordable prices in regional hubs such as South Africa and India would be possible thanks to the waiver. The WTO's credibility is at stake.
The WTO director general acknowledged the pressure on the WTO when she said on 10 January: "The emergence of the Omicron variant, which forced us to postpone our Twelfth Ministerial Conference." We at the WTO now have to do our part to reach a multilateral outcome on intellectual property and other issues so as to contribute to the global efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
She has convened urgent negotiations between the US, the EU, South Africa and India to reach agreement before formal WTO meetings of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Trips) Council and General Council begin on 23 February.
In low-income countries, only a small percentage of people have received one dose of vaccine.
The global demand for vaccines, treatments and tests has increased due to the move to third booster doses in high-income countries. Drug companies are once again focusing on sales to high-income countries.
Pfizer expects US$36 billion in revenue from Covid vaccines in 2021.
Current WTO rules allow voluntary sharing of knowledge and technology according to these companies. Pfizer and Moderna have not made voluntary agreements with low-income countries to share vaccine knowledge and technology.
Pfizer has filed patent applications in 61 countries to block cheaper generic versions of Paxlovid.
These companies have not supported voluntary WHO initiatives to set up technology-sharing arrangements for regional manufacturing hubs.
The WHO regional hub plan includes a South African company, but pharmaceutical companies have not agreed to share their technology. The company is developing a vaccine from scratch, but it won't be available until at least 2023.
Covax is a vaccine donation program that cannot meet global demand. Covax wanted to deliver 2 billion doses by the end of 2021. Only 1 billion had been delivered and only 2.8 billion had been pledged to reach 70% of the population in low-income countries.
3 billion shots will be needed for third doses even if the target is met.
The current trade rules have failed to produce enough vaccines, treatments and tests in the current epidemic.
It is time for change. Developing and low-income countries should be able to access the technology and knowledge to produce their own vaccines, treatments and tests, and supply them at affordable prices if the WTO delivers on the waiver.
The convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network is a researcher at the University of Sydney.
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