UK failure to support Covid-19 vaccine collaboration is ‘shameful’, say campaigners
Date: 29 May 2020
Campaigns: Pharma
Reacting to the launch of the WHO’s Technology Access Pool today, with the support of 30 countries, excluding the UK, Heidi Chow, pharmaceuticals campaigner at Global Justice Now said:
“It is shameful that the UK government is not participating in this landmark initiative from the WHO. Despite all the public money going into coronavirus research, British ministers are putting the profits of pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and GSK ahead of saving lives around the world.
“This is not only outrageous, but short-sighted. We can only put an end to this pandemic if it is contained in all countries. That means everyone, everywhere, getting the treatment they need, not just the richest. A Covid-19 vaccine should be a global public good, affordable for all governments and free of charge to all people. It needs to be patent-free. There is still time for the UK to change course and respond to the WHO’s call for global solidarity.”
Notes
1. The launch of the WHO’s Technology Access Pool is accompanied by a Solidarity Call to Action: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/global-research-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/covid-19-technology-access-pool/solidarity-call-to-action/
Photo: World Health Organization