North Charlotte Today

Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues have written a letter to President Biden, urging him to reject a proposal before the World Trade Organization (WTO) that would waive intellectual property (IP) protections for COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. The senators argue that waiving these protections would have unintended consequences for the development of new treatments for dangerous diseases, while doing little to improve access to medicine.

In the letter, the senators acknowledge the collaborative efforts between Congress and the Biden administration in combatting COVID-19. They highlight the success in reducing global COVID-19 deaths and the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) of an end to the global public health emergency. However, they express concern that some members of the WTO are still seeking to weaken global intellectual property protections for COVID-19 medicine.

The senators specifically mention a proposal from countries including India, South Africa, and China that would waive the protections afforded by the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of IP Rights (TRIPS) with respect to COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. They argue that such a waiver would not improve global access to these medicines and would have significant adverse consequences for American manufacturers, innovation, and global competitiveness.

"We strongly oppose waiving IP protection for these products, and we urge you to oppose this proposal at the WTO," the senators wrote in the letter.

They also express their willingness to continue partnering with the Biden administration to solve challenges in global public health. However, they emphasize the importance of championing American innovation and competitiveness by opposing efforts to waive IP protections at the WTO.

The letter concludes with a request for the President's support in rejecting the TRIPS waiver proposal and can be read in full on their official website.

This letter highlights the concerns of Senator Tillis and his colleagues regarding the potential impact of waiving intellectual property protections for COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. They argue that such a move would have adverse consequences for American manufacturers, innovation, and global competitiveness, while doing little to improve global access to these medicines. The senators urge President Biden to oppose the proposal at the WTO and to continue championing American innovation and competitiveness in the global fight against COVID-19.