The Role of Intellectual Property Rights in Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic
Speakers
David Kappos
Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Azrul Mohd Khalib
Head & Founder, Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy Malaysia
Yogesh Pai
Assistant Professor of Law and Co-Director, Centre for Innovation, IP and Competition National Law University, Delhi
Philip Stevens
Executive Director Geneva Network
Moderator
Stephen Ezell
Vice President, Global Innovation Policy Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
The rapid development of new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments over the past year is a triumph of innovation. Billions of vaccine doses are being manufactured and should be distributed to all adults globally over the next 18 months. But some argue that suspending intellectual property (IP) rights to allow any company to manufacture vaccines will mean faster access for developing countries. These arguments have culminated in a proposal at the World Trade Organization for a temporary global waiver on COVID-19-related IP rights.
Please join ITIF and Geneva Network for a discussion on the role of IP rights in vaccine and therapeutic R&D, manufacturing, and preparedness for future pandemics. Panelists from around the world will discuss the best ways to scale up mass vaccine and therapeutic manufacturing and examine the implications that would arise from a global waiver of IP rights.