We are into the fourth month of the largest global vaccination programme in history with over 335 million COVID-19 jabs administered in 108 countries. Critics of the vaccine rollout are deeply concerned about the inequitable distribution of the life saving inoculations. They say the vast majority of vaccinations have taken place in wealthy countries with inoculation rates dramatically lower in Asia and almost non-existent in Africa. They argue that we are experiencing an artificially created shortage and the culprit is intellectual property protection rights that give a small number of pharmaceuticals control over the global manufacturing and supply. The solution is a simple one: remove World Trade Organization intellectual property rights for the duration of the COVID crisis so that countries can manufacture their own vaccine supplies and save possibly hundreds of thousands of lives. Proponents of intellectual property protections argue that this would be disruptive and undermine future investment in innovation, and the hard work that go into producing effective treatments for deadly diseases. Removing these protections will undermine future drug development needed to prepare for future pandemics while doing nothing to contribute to the unprecedented challenge of how to safely manufacture billions of doses in a short period of time. Vaccine production requires knowhow and trained employees to run hugely complex and highly regulated manufacturing processes. Rather than suspend COVID-19 vaccine patents, the answer to an equitable vaccine roll out lies in international collaboration to scale up manufacturing and in the COVAX public private sector partnership that works to ensure that everyone, regardless of wealth, has access to safe and effective vaccines.

Arguing for the motion is Dean Baker, Senior Economist & Co-Founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He is the author of the blog ‘Beat The Press’ and How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer.

Arguing against the motion is Thomas B. Cueni, Director General at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. He’s also the biopharmaceutical industry representative to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, the global partnership that aims to accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 treatments.

Sources: Blooomberg Quick Take, The Telegraph, France 24, Democracy Now, SABC News, Atlantic Council, KTN News, News4Jax, Al Jazeera English, BBC News

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg.  

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This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada’s largest private audio production company - https://www.anticaproductions.com/

 

Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions

Senior Producer: Christina Campbell

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Producer: Marilyn Mazurek

Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

We are into the fourth month of the largest global vaccination programme in history with&nbsp;over 335 million COVID-19 jabs administered in 108 countries. Critics of the vaccine rollout are&nbsp;deeply concerned about the inequitable distribution of the life saving inoculations. They say the&nbsp;vast majority of vaccinations have taken place in wealthy countries with inoculation rates&nbsp;dramatically lower in Asia and almost non-existent in Africa. They argue that we are experiencing&nbsp;an artificially created shortage and the culprit is intellectual property protection rights that give a&nbsp;small number of pharmaceuticals control over the global manufacturing and supply. The solution&nbsp;is a simple one: remove World Trade Organization intellectual property rights for the duration of&nbsp;the COVID crisis so that countries can manufacture their own vaccine supplies and save possibly&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of lives. Proponents of intellectual property protections argue that this&nbsp;would be disruptive and undermine future investment in innovation, and the hard work that go&nbsp;into producing effective treatments for deadly diseases. Removing these protections will&nbsp;undermine future drug development needed to prepare for future pandemics while doing&nbsp;nothing to contribute to the unprecedented challenge of how to safely manufacture billions of&nbsp;doses in a short period of time. Vaccine production requires knowhow and trained employees to&nbsp;run hugely complex and highly regulated manufacturing processes. Rather than suspend&nbsp;COVID-19 vaccine patents, the answer to an equitable vaccine roll out lies in international&nbsp;collaboration to scale up manufacturing and in the COVAX public private sector partnership that&nbsp;works to ensure that everyone, regardless of wealth, has access to safe and effective vaccines.
Arguing for the motion is Dean Baker, Senior Economist &amp; Co-Founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He is the author of the blog &lsquo;Beat The Press&rsquo; and How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer.
Arguing against the motion is Thomas B. Cueni, Director General at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. He&rsquo;s also the biopharmaceutical industry representative to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, the global partnership that aims to accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 treatments.
Sources: Blooomberg Quick Take, The Telegraph, France 24, Democracy Now, SABC News, Atlantic Council, KTN News, News4Jax, Al Jazeera English, BBC News
The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths -&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/rudyardg">@rudyardg</a>. &nbsp;
Tweet your comments about this episode to&nbsp;<a href="about:blank">@munkdebate</a>&nbsp;or comment on our Facebook page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/">https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/</a>
To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@munkdebates.com">podcast@munkdebates.com</a>. &nbsp;
To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at&nbsp;<a href="https://munkdebates.com/membership">https://munkdebates.com/membership</a>
Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.
This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - <a href="https://munkdebates.com/">https://munkdebates.com/</a>
The Munk Debates podcast is produced by Antica, Canada&rsquo;s largest private audio production company - <a href="https://www.anticaproductions.com/">https://www.anticaproductions.com/</a>
&nbsp;
Executive Producer: Stuart Coxe, CEO Antica Productions
Senior Producer: Christina Campbell
Editor: Kieran Lynch
Producer: Marilyn Mazurek
Associate Producer: Abhi Raheja

The Munk Debates podcast is an extension of the main stage events - in subject, speaker selection, tone and format. It will introduce the iconic brand - and its engaging debates about significant issues of our time. Audiences will hear strong and passionate arguments from both sides of an issue so they will have enough information to make up their own minds about where they stand.

The Munk Debates podcast is an extension of the main stage events - in subject, speaker selection, tone and format. It will introduce the iconic brand - and its engaging debates about significant issues of our time. Audiences will hear strong and passionate arguments from both sides of an issue so they will have enough information to make up their own minds about where they stand.

The Munk Debates Podcast

The Munk Debates Podcast is dedicated to convening civil and substantive debates and dialogues on the big issues of the day. Each debate features two compelling thinkers debating a topic driving the public conversation. Each dialogue features world-renowned thinkers offering unique insight into the issues affecting us most. The podcast is an extension of the charitable Munk Debates' commitment to pushing back against the political polarization and restoring the art of public debate in our time. For more information about the Munk Debates visit www.munkdebates.com/podcast

The Munk Debates Podcast is dedicated to convening civil and substantive debates and dialogues on the big issues of the day. Each debate features two compelling thinkers debating a topic driving the public conversation. Each dialogue features world-renowned thinkers offering unique insight into the issues affecting us most. The podcast is an extension of the charitable Munk Debates' commitment to pushing back against the political polarization and restoring the art of public debate in our time. For more information about the Munk Debates visit www.munkdebates.com/podcast

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