The Indian and South African governments sent a letter to the World Trade Organization urging it to waive certain trade agreement rules so that low-income countries can gain more access COVID-19 products.
In the letter, sent Oct. 2 to the WTO's Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, the countries told the organization it should waive rules that regulate patents, copyrights, industrial designs and the protection of trade secrets. They wrote that these rules should be waived until there is widespread vaccination across the globe and the majority of the world's population has developed immunity to the disease.
India and South Africa warned that diagnostic products, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 will not be "available promptly in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices to meet global demand" unless the waivers are issued.
"Internationally, there is an urgent call for global solidarity, and the unhindered global sharing of technology and know-how in order that rapid responses for the handling of COVID-19 can be put in place on a real time basis," the two countries wrote.