IDMA seeks patent waiver for Covid drugs

MUMBAI: Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) has said waiving of patents may help overcome shortage of Covid drugs. However, a waiver may not be sufficient for increased and free availability of vaccines in the country.
“What is more important is grant of voluntary licenses (VLs) by patent holders to domestic companies with sufficient expertise,” IDMA said.It added that Astra Zeneca and Serum Institute of India is a successful working model. Other vaccine developers need to come forward and similarly transfer technology to domestic companies against reasonable royalties, the industry body said.
“In case of pharmaceutical products (including APIs), which are directly or indirectly used for Covid treatment, there is an urgent need for intellectual property (IP) rights to be waived at the global level to boost production and ensure there are no shortages. The recent shortage of Remdesivir in India is a wake-up call. Capacities of all medicines connected with this pandemic should be ramped up to ensure free availability at reasonable prices,” IDMA said.
Further, WTO has also provided provision of compulsory licensing (CL) for tackling such an eventuality. “Our government should not feel shy in invoking this very thoughtful provision in the interest of humanity and our citizens. In view of the current suffering of humanity, urgent action needs to be taken by the world coming together to ensure free flow of technology till the virus is eradicated”, the statement said.
Rival body Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers, which represents MNCs, also echoed the same views on the waiver recently, saying it may not help in increasing production of vaccines.
This comes even as the US in a drastic turnaround recently supported a waiver of intellectual property on Covid-19 vaccines. While India and South Africa are engaged jointly at the World Trade Organisation for a patient waiver submitted in October last year for all Covid-19 medical tools. Recently, faced with crucial vaccine shortages and key Covid-19 drugs, there has been demand from patent and health activists to suspend patents on them, to improve their accessibility and affordability.