Blogger Martyn (Bomber) Bradbury has brilliantly coined the term âneo-kindnessâ to describe the government of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Ardern has astutely popularised kindness as a critical part of New Zealandâs impressive response to both the Christchurch mosque terrorist murders and the elimination strategy for combatting Covid-19 community transmission.
But there is another side to this government. For this Bradbury has introduced the âneoâ both as a play on the term âneo-liberalismâ and the governmentâs kindness bent towards business (and subsequently business consultants in the health system). But, even at his bombastic best, he would never have contemplated this neo-kindness extending to the international pharmaceutical companies appropriately labelled âBig Pharmaâ.
Daily Times
May 8, 2021
The EU voiced scepticism Friday over the United States’ sudden push to waive Covid vaccine patents to boost supply to poorer countries, while defending its own record as the world’s biggest exporter of doses.
French President Emmanuel Macron led the charge as he arrived at an EU summit in Portugal, stressing that the bigger problem was US and British export restrictions on vaccines and their raw materials.
“The Anglo-Saxons block many of these ingredients and vaccines,” he told reporters. “Today 100 percent of the vaccines produced in the United States are for the American market.”
That contrasts with the EU’s export so far of more than 200 million vaccine doses, which European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has said shows Europe is “the pharmacy of the world”.
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Biocom California Strongly Opposes TRIPS Waiver
Search jobs Biocom California Strongly Opposes TRIPS Waiver
WASHINGTON (BUSINESS WIRE) #TRIPS Biocom California, the association representing the life science industry of California, issued the following statement in response to the White House’s support of a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines. This statement may be attributed to Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom:
“We are very disappointed to hear of the U.S. Trade Representative’s decision to support waiving intellectual property (IP) rights for companies producing COVID-19 vaccines under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The life science industry has played an incredible role in successfully responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and is expanding manufacturing and distribution at a historical scale to ensure global access to vaccines.
Gates Foundation supports narrow waiver of intellectual property on COVID-19 vaccines ANI | Updated: May 07, 2021 09:16 IST
Washington DC [US], May 7 (ANI): In a significant shift of stance, Gates Foundation has followed the line taken by the Biden administration to back the temporary waiver of intellectual property on COVID-19 vaccines. 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, said Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman.
Suzman said that Gates Foundation will continue to advocate for countries with supply to share doses. And we will continue to advocate for countries with supply to share doses with those without as soon as possible, and for COVAX to be fully funded, he said.