Stay updated with breaking news from Federick Banting. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
By Jameel Barkat 100 years down the line, Insulin is still not flowing in the veins of the millions of people who desperately need it. Unfortunately, it remains inaccessible due to its exorbitant prices and unavailability, despite the fact that its discoverers decided not to patent it.
Pharmaceutical giants, aka "Big Pharma", are protected by undisclosed trade secrets and patents. An exclusive group of drug makers has ensured that rich countries can lay claim to most of their miracle drugs — while limiting the number of companies that can also produce the vital vaccines. America follows an advanced system and strict laws to protect the intellectual property (IP) of its most innovative companies from copycats or knockoffs. But with COVID-19 vaccines, the US has made a sweeping policy U-turn by supporting a vaccine patent waiver proposal at the World Trade Organisation (W...