Increasing Global Production of COVID-19 Treatments and Vaccines

HUGE NEWS: President Biden has announced his support for a TRIPS waiver for vaccines at the WTO. Please thank him, and urge to push for a speedy and comprehensive final agreement.

MORE NEWS: The European Union, led by Germany, continues to block a fast and effective TRIPS waiver from being implemented by the WTO.  Protests are planned at over a dozen German consular offices across the U.S. during German Chancellor Merkel’s visit to the U.S. in mid-July.

Arcane trade rules at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that put “intellectual property” for Big Pharma ahead of public health are getting in the way off efforts to increase global production of COVID-19 vaccines, tests kits and medications.

Over 100 countries have called for a temporary waiver of parts of the WTO’s “Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property” (TRIPS) agreement so that COVID vaccines and related supplies can be made in as many places as possible as quickly as possible.

Ramping up production of vaccines and treatments is needed to end the COVID pandemic and save millions of lives.  Doing so would also get the economy back on track more quickly, and could help prevent a viral mutation that prolongs the pandemic for everyone.

Unfortunately, the United States is leading a small handful of countries in blocking the TRIPS waiver.  This position is unconscionable and must be reversed.

The life-saving TRIPS waiver is supported by the Director General of the World Health Organization and by domestic public health and human rights advocates like Doctors Without Borders, Partners In Health, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Health GAP, Doctors for America and the American Medical Student Association.

The waiver is also supported by front-line unions like National Nurses United, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Association of Letter Carriers, UNITE HERE, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Teamsters.

And it’s supported by faith groups including the Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, American Jewish World Service, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, United Methodist Church General Board of Church & Society, NETWORK, Jewish World Watch, American Friends Service Committee and United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries — among hundreds of other organizations in the U.S. and around the world.

We need your help, too!

TAKE ACTION: Please sign our petition urging President Biden to support the TRIPS waiver so that COVID-19 vaccines and treatments can be produced in as many places as possible as quickly as possible.