Spanish researchers share Covid antibody test tech in ‘huge precedent’ for vaccine manufacturers
Spain’s National Research Council (CSIC) said this afternoon it will share its Covid antibody test tech with external partners.
The CSIC said it will openly licence their vaccine through the WHO’s Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) knowledge-sharing platform.
“By sharing their diagnostic with the WHO’s Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), the Spanish National Research Council is ensuring no one will be deprived of their lifesaving technology.,” commented Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now.
He said the move sets “”a huge precedent ” for vaccine manufacturers.
“The Spanish model shows what can be achieved when public investment leads to public innovations, instead of letting private companies extract a profit,” Dearden continued.
He called it “embarrassing” that the British government chose instead to hand an exclusive patent for Oxford University’s vaccine to AstraZeneca.
Pfizer Covid pill
Last week it was announced that Pfizer’s new Covid-19 pill could be made available to more than half of the world’s population after the pharmaceutical giant signed a deal with a UN-backed group to allow other manufacturers to make its experimental pill.
Pfizer said it will grant a licence for the antiviral pill to the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool, which would let generic drug companies produce the medication for use in 95 countries, making up about 53 per cent of the world’s population.
The deal excludes some large countries that have suffered devastating coronavirus outbreaks.
For example, while a Brazilian drug company could get a licence to make the pill for export to other countries, the medicine could not be made generically for use in Brazil.