“Evidence” & “Time” As Obstacles In The Waiver Route For Drugs And Tests For COVID-19 At The WTO

Newsletter Edition #160 [The Friday Deep Dives]

Hi,

As the pandemic continues, it appears Geneva’s institutions are experiencing the Rashomon Effect. Every institution has its truths.

In today’s edition we try to look at these competing narratives and the stories they tell.

From our limited perspective, it appears that ideology and interests, and not evidence, largely informed and shaped the outcome on the TRIPS waiver discussions over the last two years. It is important to note that evidence, is now important in assessing whether a waiver approach will work for improving the supply and access to tests and treatments.

We announced yesterday that our compilation of our reporting on the TRIPS waiver is now available! Also check out a workshop on the same, later this month.

Until later.

Priti

Feel free to write to us: patnaik.reporting@gmail.com or genevahealthfiles@protonmail.com; Follow us on Twitter: @filesgeneva

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STORY OF THE WEEK

“Evidence” & “Time” As Obstacles In The Waiver Route For Drugs And Tests For COVID-19 At The WTO

WTO members gathered for a series of meetings this week to advance consultations on improving the access to tests and drugs for COVID-19 by discussing an extension of the June Ministerial Decision beyond vaccines. They met at an informal TRIPS Council meeting, and at the General Council meeting during this week.

Already signs are emerging that the emphasis on mapping evidence on specific treatments and tests, and additional time sought for domestic consultations, might stand in the way of the extending the mandate to these categories of medical products, before the intended deadline of December 17, 2022, of reaching such a decision.

To be sure, this is even as evidence piles up at WHO, and at the EU-backed ACT Accelerator, on the importance of drugs and tests, in collectively addressing the pandemic.

Today’s story connects simultaneous policy narratives emerging in Geneva, that suggest how countries seem to take different positions in different forums.

Image Credit: Photo by Athena