Without India, a discussion on monopolies and how they impact the availability, supply, and access of medicines, vaccines, and other essential medical products rarely happens. The country — a key manufacturer and actor in global supply chains — plays a pivotal role in international negotiations at the World Health Assembly and the World Trade Organization.
‘Public interest’ standard
India did this early in the pandemic. Our government boldly endorsed a “public interest” standard — by submitting to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with South Africa a waiver of monopolies based on a combination of patents, control over clinical trial data, and trade secrets on vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to open up manufacturing of much-needed tests, treatments, and preventive tools in the COVID-19 pandemic across the world.
