The Global IP Response to Covid-19 Pandemic: A Tale of Several Ironies?

Abstract

The current pandemic crisis has brought the world to a standstill. The human cost as reflected by the death toll is mounting every day and the current actions taken to prevent the spread of the virus have fallen short of achieving their desired goals. Intellectual property (IP) protection is one component which have impacted the current debate surrounding the affordability and accessibility to vaccines and affiliated medical technologies and products. This article will look at various arguments currently shaping this debate from that perspective and argues about the need to take a more unified global approach in dealing with the pandemic and its repercussions.