Intellectual property and covid-19 response

Early day motion 1451, tabled 8 February 2021 by Caroline Lucas (Green). Signed by 80 members.

That this House considers nobody is safe until we are all safe from covid-19; believes all policy tools should be deployed to address the global crisis around access to covid-19 vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and equipment; notes that the head of the World Health Organization warns we face a catastrophic moral failure because of unequal covid vaccine policies; welcomes the Government’s commitment to ensuring access for all to safe and effective, high-quality and affordable vaccines, diagnostics, medicines, and other health technologies as part of an effective response to the pandemic; further welcomes the substantial amounts of public funding for research, development, at-risk manufacturing and purchasing of covid-19 vaccines, reducing the risks for private sector companies developing vaccines; notes that existing flexibilities within the TRIPS agreement are not sufficient in the context of a pandemic; urges the Government to defend the rights of countries to use TRIPS flexibilities especially as they have long been subjected to intense pressure in the interests of pharmaceutical companies when they have done so; notes that 100 countries support a proposal from India and South Africa for a TRIPS waiver, which would allow WTO members to quickly overcome Intellectual Property barriers to access much-needed vaccines and treatments during the global crisis; is concerned that the Government does not yet support this proposal; and urges the Government to recognise that intellectual property barriers are hindering equitable access to covid-19 health technologies, reconsider its position and support the waiver proposal at upcoming TRIPS Council and WTO General Council Meetings.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 32, Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 7, Independent 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Alliance 1, Green 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.