Covid-19 vaccination patent waiver recommendation to the World Trade Organisation

Summary

That this House expresses its concern at the UK Government’s failure to adequately support low income countries in the fight against coronavirus; notes that 81 per cent of the eligible UK population has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, compared to less than 8 per cent of people across Africa according to Amnesty International; further notes that the UK Government are blocking countries from producing their own vaccines by refusing to support the temporary waiver on vaccine patents which is supported by the South African and Indian governments, as well as the United Nations Secretary General; disagrees with the statement made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that a patent waiver would “disincentive” pharmaceutical companies from producing new technology; is further concerned by the World Health Organisation’s research showing that there could be a shortfall of 3 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines in poorer nations in the first quarter of 2022 if the richer nations give boosters to everyone including children; recognises that at least 97 per cent of the funding for the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine came from taxpayers; believes that the failure to vaccinate low income countries increases the risk of new variants like the Omicron variant; urges the Government to put public health before private profit; calls on the Government to support the waiver of vaccine patents at the World Trade Organisation; and further calls on the Government to increase the supply of vaccines the UK is distributing to low income countries.

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Timeline

1. 15 December 2021

   Early Day Motion

   That this House expresses its concern at the UK Government’s failure to adequately support low income countries in the fight against coronavirus; notes that 81 per cent of the eligible UK population has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, compared to less than 8 per cent of people across Africa according to Amnesty International; further notes that the UK Government are blocking countries from producing their own vaccines by refusing to support the temporary waiver on vaccine patents which is supported by the South African and Indian governments, as well as the United Nations Secretary General; disagrees with the statement made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that a patent waiver would “disincentive” pharmaceutical companies from producing new technology; is further concerned by the World Health Organisation’s research showing that there could be a shortfall of 3 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines in poorer nations in the first quarter of 2022 if the richer nations give boosters to everyone including children; recognises that at least 97 per cent of the funding for the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine came from taxpayers; believes that the failure to vaccinate low income countries increases the risk of new variants like the Omicron variant; urges the Government to put public health before private profit; calls on the Government to support the waiver of vaccine patents at the World Trade Organisation; and further calls on the Government to increase the supply of vaccines the UK is distributing to low income countries.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• Jon Trickett · Labour · Primary sponsor

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