Covid-19: Pharmaceutical companies’ failure on equal vaccine access contributed human rights catastrophe in 2021

Despite urgent calls to ensure the equal distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021, pharmaceutical companies tragically failed to rise to the challenge of a once-in-a-century global health and human rights crisis. Instead, they monopolized technology, blocked and lobbied against the sharing of intellectual property, charged high prices for vaccines and prioritized supplies to wealthy countries, …

New Covid variants owe their existence in part to big Pharma’s profit over life approach

Global inequality and injustice have seldom been more starkly on display than in the days since the emergence of Omicron. South African scientists first reported the new COVID-19 variant to the World Health Organization on 24 November. The next day the UK government was the first of many to introduce emergency travel restrictions on people …

‘Each-way bet’: Trade Minister declines to co-sponsor waiver on COVID vaccine monopolies

On the eve of an important World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting on intellectual property this week, the Government has revealed that Australia will not co-sponsor a proposal to waive commercial monopolies on COVID19 vaccines, as Shadow Trade Minister Madeleine King MP and campaigners have urged. The disclosure came through Senate Estimate proceedings on 28 October, in which Department of Foreign Affairs and …

G20: Vague vaccine promises are an affront to 5 million dead

The G20’s final statement on increasing global access to Covid-19 vaccines is woefully light on detail, Amnesty International said today. Following the release of the G20 Leader’s Declaration, which promises to “explore ways to accelerate global vaccination” and “advance toward” WHO’s goal of vaccinating 40% of every country’s population by the end of the year, Tamaryn Nelson, Amnesty International’s …