2022-07-14-世界卫生组织-The_new_WTO_decision_on_the_TRIPS_Agreement_1页_34kb

Summary of WHO Council Statement on WTO TRIPS Decision (15 July 2022)

Key Welcome Statement

The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All welcomes the WTO Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement adopted on 17 June 2022. The Council appreciates the efforts made and congratulates WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her leadership.

Criticisms of the Decision

Despite the welcome, the Council regrets that the decision falls short of expectations. Key limitations include:

• It restricts the scope to COVID-19 vaccines, excluding essential diagnostics and therapeutics.
• It provides a five-year, time-bound exception to export restrictions under a compulsory licence, without indefinite extension.
• It only addresses patents, omitting other intellectual property barriers like trade secrets necessary for scaling up production in low- and middle-income countries.

Forward-Looking Commitments

The Council calls for immediate action to expand the decision's scope to include therapeutics and diagnostics within six months and work toward an indefinite waiver. It emphasizes the need for a complete waiver to deliver true benefits, especially to developing countries, while supporting innovation sharing collectively.

Innovation Sharing Appeal

The Council stresses that innovation is a collective effort and should be shared collectively alongside health needs.