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Biden Backs Waiving International Patent Protections For COVID-19 Vaccines

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by calurker, May 5, 2021.

  1. calurker

    calurker Contributing Member

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  2. saitou

    saitou J Only Fan

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    Compensate the companies properly. Every country should chip in, perhaps proportioned by gdp? Keep the industry motivated, need to keep up new mutations/variants and respond with same speed for the next pandemic.

    So that confidence in vaccines aren't undermined, instead of making the IP available for any unvetted company to try their luck manufacturing a generic, would prefer brokering tie ups between the bigger companies to accelerate production, like the Pfizer Merck deal, but with much more companies.

    Not doing anything and letting it fester and mutate into something deadlier could come back to bite developed countries too. Devil is in the details, hope something gets worked out and we can move on from this damn disease.
     
    #2 saitou, May 6, 2021
    Last edited: May 6, 2021
  3. Buck Turgidson

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  4. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost not wrong
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    #4 DonnyMost, May 6, 2021
    Last edited: May 6, 2021
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  5. saitou

    saitou J Only Fan

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    I wasn't aware of the history, but more concerned with the future; the compensation doesn't have to be generous, but should be enough to keep them motivated to go after the next vaccines/treatments we need at the same speed.
     
  6. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost not wrong
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    no u
     
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  7. superfob

    superfob Mommy WOW! I'm a Big Kid now.

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  8. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    Yes there was public funding in basic research but as the article notes there was also private funding behind some of the early research too.

    For Moderna and J&J vaccines those came up under Operation Warp Speed so there is a significant amount of US government funding. Pfizer didn't use Operation Warp Speed but did take EU funding.
     
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  9. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    There certainly is a compelling public interests in relaxing IP protections but I agree saying we're just going to take away IP protection is risky regarding future development. While there is much public funding of research IP also means that research university/research institutes also make a lot off of IP developed there that funds further research.

    And yes I know about Jonas Salk giving away the Polio vaccine. I think that is more the exception than the rule.

    What I think will happen is that we will not see IP rights removed from these vaccines but that they companies will voluntarily agree to relax their IP and allow significant licensing at low or no costs for of theses vaccines.
     
  10. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Contributing Member

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    The way I see it, with at least 4 competitors out there, the government has all the leverage to select just one for purchase and distribution of booster shots which now unfortunately seems inevitable given the variants.

    So I assume that a smart CEO from one of these companies would try and make a deal to publicly support a conditional release of their patent in exchange for a contractual agreement to be the primary provider of booster shots.
     
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  11. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Exactly
     
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  12. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    The first step to socialism.

    I love it.
     
  13. real_egal

    real_egal Contributing Member

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    This isn’t grandma’s lasagna recipe, it take a whole lot more than a formula to mass produce working vaccines that are safe, and of stable quality. On top of that, those mRNA vaccines require very low temperature for storage and transportation. Other than US, Germany, UK, Indian, and China, I don’t see other countries without full vaccine manufacturers and experience can do much about those waived patent protection. If by my ignorance, I have missed many other countries and offended anyone, I apologize.

    It’s certainly a nice gesture, but feasibility is more important. Government doesn’t own those patents. so it would be wiser to get nods from those companies first before you announce your support of waiving. It’s been a while that “the international community” has advocated for such waiver, but it’s always easier to demand generosity on something you don’t own.

    So right now, waiving those patent protection is probably going to benefit India and China directly. While India does need help immediately, and US can achieve that by providing more raw material to India, who’s already been manufacturing those vaccines. As for China, they are rolling out vaccination of traditional methods rapidly right now, and mRNA style vaccines are entering third phase of clinical trial. With their manufacturing power, and waived patent, I think they are probably going to flood vaccines in the world pretty soon. Maybe that’s good for the world, but I don’t think US wants to see that - China increasing global influence with US IP, rightfully so.

    So, in my opinion, instead of announcing “good news” without good plan and sending vaccine stocks tanking, we should just focus on helping India. As a matter of fact, the whole world should focus on helping India with collaboration, to help themselves. If we don’t get COVID under control in India, we are doomed.
     
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  14. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Biden is a socialist POS.
     
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  15. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    He's just doing what Jesus would do.
     
  16. glynch

    glynch Contributing Member

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  17. glynch

    glynch Contributing Member

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    As for as relaxing the IP on the vaccines to the developing world to make it affordable. A no brainer on so many levels. 1) morality-- sorry usual supects it isn't limited to being anti-abortion or church attendance. 2) we might be able to save lives in this country even of the Covid deniers-- variance increase in India etc. 3) winning hearts and minds around the world requires more than drone strikes and arms sales or ruinous debts that must be paid.
     
  18. glynch

    glynch Contributing Member

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    Jesus is a capitalist; don't you know. I got a laugh or was it horrified? when a niece who our taxes had put through public schools and a public college complained about the taxes taken out of her first paycheck and I called her on it. A frequent Bible study goer she told me in justification learned in those classes no doubt. "The poor ye shall always have"
     
  19. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Considering the money we dumped into warp speed and accelerated it's time table, Biden is signaling to the manufacturers while playing a goody goody angle for essentially jumping the vaccine line. Reality will be somewhere in between where they still retain ip rights

    Sure the rich world always benefits first, but earning a few points for this gesture goes some way to repair America's leadership position when it looked like it was everyone for themselves last year
     
  20. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Contributing Member

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    The IP issue should have been handled at the front. But we had dipshit for a president then, so whaddya gonna do?

    What I was thinking. It's leverage to put some pressure on the pharma companies to be more generous with licensing. To actually withdraw the normal IP protections will probably take years in courts with the lawsuits, and by the time it's resolved, either covid or us will all be dead.

    Even if that's so, I think many countries would be able to develop internal expertise to manufacture a good product if they can use the patent. They know they have market demand and their willingness to pay would be high, so they'll spend the resources needed to bring in the experts, build a state-of-the-art factory, and do whatever is needed to secure their own supply. Maybe not South Sudan or Nicaragua, but some countries like an Argentina or Saudi Arabia or Philippines (scratch that last one, I momentarily forgot about their dumbass president) could build a capability.
     

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