India and South Africa renew push for extending TRIPS waiver beyond Covid vaccines

Even as the World Trade Organization (WTO) members continue to remain divided on the waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights for Covid-related vaccine technologies, India, South Africa, and other developing countries have resuscitated their campaign to extend the temporary waiver of IP for Covid vaccines to coronavirus drugs at the WTO.

A temporary patent waiver was granted for five years by members of the WTO in June last year for the manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines. After six months, it was agreed to begin discussions regarding including therapeutics and diagnostics under the scope of this waiver, as proposed by India and South Africa.

India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the IP rights waiver for five years agreed upon during the 12th ministerial conference of the WTO would help developing countries manufacture patented Covid-19 vaccines.