Shot of Hope: Equal access a hurdle after race to coronavirus vaccine

The second of a two-part series examines challenges linked to IPR and monopoly once Covid-19 vaccine is created

Even if a vaccine is created and manufactured within the expected timeframe, it may not mean an end to Covid-induced misery for all. Equal access to the vaccine could be a major challenge, according to experts. Experience during the Swine Flu pandemic shows how.       

When in 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Swine Flu influenza a pandemic, big pharmaceutical firms invested huge sums in research and developed a vaccine, which they then patented. The resultant monopoly over its formulation led to the highest bidders – developed nations such as the US, Canada, and Australia –