Editor's Pick: India's stand on vaccine patents

The difference between India's international and domestics stands on patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines have been highlighted by experts after the Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, the Centre supports the protection of intellectual property rights over the vaccines, while internationally, India has pushed for the release of the vaccines from the TRIPS regime. As per the TRIPS agreement among nations to protect intellectual property rights, signatories have the right to enforce compulsory licences; that is, force patent owners to transfer rights to other manufacturers. This is reaffirmed in the case of essential healthcare and medicines by the Doha declaration. In October last year, India and South Africa had joined hands at the WTO to push for the TRIPS regime to be liberalised on COVID-19 vaccines. While this had found support in the developing world, the developed world was reluctant to come on board as most of the patent holders are based there and they stand to benefit financially, and in terms of easy access to vaccines. But, as the situation in India worsened during the second wave, major powers such as the U.S. and France have moved towards allowing a loosening of the patent regimes. However, in the affidavit in the apex court, the Centre warns against using the power to enforce compulsory licences as using its statutory force could affect good will abroad. The Centre's stand seems to be that achieving an international consensus on liberalising the patent regime is better than unilaterally enforcing compulsory licensing. The question whether this stance is detrimental to India's efforts in fighting the second wave and vaccinating most people in the shortest amount of time, is what makes this story important. 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[Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( India's stand on vaccine patents [India's stand on vaccine patents] The difference between [India's international and domestics stands]( on patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines have been highlighted by experts after the Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, the Centre supports the protection of intellectual property rights over the vaccines, while internationally, India has pushed for the release of the vaccines from the TRIPS regime. As per the TRIPS agreement among nations to protect intellectual property rights, signatories have the right to enforce compulsory licences; that is, force patent owners to transfer rights to other manufacturers. This is reaffirmed in the case of essential healthcare and medicines by the Doha declaration. In October last year, India and South Africa had [joined hands at the WTO]( to push for the TRIPS regime to be liberalised on [COVID-19](. While this had found support in the developing world, the developed world was reluctant to come on board as most of the patent holders are based there and they stand to benefit financially, and in terms of easy access to vaccines. But, as the situation in India worsened during the second wave, major powers such as [the U.S.]( and [France]( have moved towards allowing a loosening of the patent regimes. However, in the affidavit in the apex court, the Centre warns against using the power to enforce compulsory licences as using its statutory force could affect good will abroad. The Centre's stand seems to be that achieving an international consensus on liberalising the patent regime is better than unilaterally enforcing compulsory licensing. The question whether this stance is detrimental [to India's efforts]( in fighting the second wave and vaccinating most people in the shortest amount of time, is what makes this story important. [underlineimg] Today's Editorials [Arrow][Temporary respite: On latest retail inflation and industrial output data]( [Arrow][Assam brew: On transfer of power in Assam]( [underlineimg] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. [Click here]( [underlineimg]  Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Name the former president of Iran who put his name forward on Wednesday as a candidate to succeed moderate President Hassan Rouhani in elections next month. - Mohammad Khatami - Mohammad Javad Zarif - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here]( Today's Best Reads [[Mucormycosis risk mitigation in the COVID battle] Mucormycosis risk mitigation in the COVID battle]( [[Coronavirus | Sputnik V to be available in Indian markets by next week] Coronavirus | Sputnik V to be available in Indian markets by next week]( [[Coronavirus | India resists ‘community transmission’ tag despite soaring cases] Coronavirus | India resists ‘community transmission’ tag despite soaring cases]( [[Innocent people went to Kumbh because they trusted the government, says Akhilesh Yadav] Innocent people went to Kumbh because they trusted the government, says Akhilesh Yadav]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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