Days after philanthropist Bill Gates said that he was against sharing intellectual property (IP) rights on Covid-19 vaccines with developing countries, his NGO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has issued a statement that no barriers should stand in the way of equitable access to vaccines, including intellectual property.
Bill Gates had said in an interview said that he would not be willing to share the Covid 19 vaccine patents or IP rights with developing countries like India. The statement had drawn flak from various quarters
However, now the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has issued a statement that “no barriers should stand in the way of equitable access to vaccines.”
Gates had cited vaccine safety and security issues and shortage of vaccine factories justifying his statement to move a vaccine to developing countries like India. His statement was slammed worldwide with reports highlighting the profit-making aspect of Gates foundation and also the lack of an open distribution model for vaccine production in the past.
Gates Foundation CEO, Mark Suzman, in a press statement this week noted, “No barriers should stand in the way of equitable access to vaccines, including intellectual property, which is why we are supportive of a narrow waiver during the pandemic. Those negotiations will occur via the WTO process, led by country negotiators.”