COVID-19 Vaccines and the TRIPS Agreement

Abstract

Ending the COVID-19 pandemic requires the advance vaccine purchase contracts of the COVAX Facility to be duly implemented. It is also necessary to transfer vaccine technology and know-how to developing countries and increase local production and prepare for inoculation. Developed countries must continue both ramping up existing vaccines and developing the next-generation ones and curative drugs that are easy to administer. To keep these requirements in balance, it would be most realistic to make the best use of flexibilities built into the Revised TRIPS Agreement of the WTO.