Pfizer has signed a voluntary license with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to share the patents and knowledge to manufacture its new COVID-19 treatment drug, Paxlovid.  According to the agreement, the MPP will be able to granting sub-licenses to qualified generic medicine manufacturers to supply the medicine in 95 countries, once regulatory authorization or approval […] Continue reading ->
An international pandemic treaty based on equity could be the antidote to current weaknesses and imbalances in the global response to COVID-19, according to a group of influential authors in a Lancet paper published on Tuesday. A number of the authors are associated with The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response chaired by Helen […] Continue reading ->
Indonesia has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax, which will be made by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and sold under the brand name Covovax. “This marks the first regulatory authorization worldwide of a protein-based COVID-19 vaccine based on Phase 3 clinical data demonstrating efficacy and a favourable […] Continue reading ->
The tobacco industry used the COVID-19 pandemic to ingratiate itself with governments around the world and win concessions for their harmful products, according to a review of 80 countries analyzed in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2021, which was released on Tuesday. It wasn’t simply economically vulnerable countries that were susceptible to industry influence. […] Continue reading ->