21 May 2021: 62 WTO members submit revised proposal on a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment, and Treatment of COVID-19

On Friday, 21 May 2021, 62 WTO members (African Group, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Egypt, Eswatini, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kenya, the LDC Group, Maldives, Mozambique, Mongolia, Namibia, Pakistan, South Africa, Vanuatu, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Zimbabwe) submitted… Continue Reading

21 May 2021 – The Pandemic Preparedness Treaty: Unlocking intellectual property, knowledge and know-how for the public good

Ahead of the 74th World Health Assembly, Health Action International, Knowledge Ecology International, and Medicines Law & Policy will be co-hosting a discussion with a high-level panel on what a pandemic response treaty should say about the sharing of rights… Continue Reading

People’s Vaccine Alliance Letter to Prime Minister Trudeau Urgently Requesting the Amendment of Schedule 1

On May 18th, the People’s Vaccine Alliance sent Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, a letter urgently requesting that vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for COVID-19 be added to Schedule 1 of the Patent Act. Below is the text of the PVA… Continue Reading

Texas A&M Vaccine Manufacturing Contract Shows that cGMP Manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines Can Start in Five Months 

A $265 million COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing contract between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) to manufacture the Novavax and other COVID-19 vaccines demonstrates that a manufacturing facility can be retrofitted to… Continue Reading

Bolivia seeks to import COVID-19 vaccines from Biolyse, if Canada grants them a compulsory license

Today the government of Bolivia and Biolyse, a company based in Canada, signed an agreement to acquire COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by the company, if Canada grants them a compulsory license. Biolyse is a manufacturer of cancer drugs with the potential… Continue Reading

KEI submission to Canada Standing Committee on International Trade and Investment Policy: Concerning COVID-19

Brief to Standing Committee on International Trade and Investment Policy: Selected Consideration Concerning COVID-19 Vaccines Knowledge Ecology International James Love and Arianna Schouten 30 April 2021 This brief will discuss (1) the scope and purpose of the proposed World Trade… Continue Reading