THE undersigned organisations and patient advocacy groups strongly call on the Malaysian government to immediately support the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights enforcement as an urgent Covid-19 response.  

A waiver of the World Trade Organisation’s agreement on intellectual property rights (the TRIPS agreement) would free up technologies and allow more manufacturers, including in developing countries, to urgently and quickly ramp up production of vaccines, medicines to treat Covid-19, diagnostics, ventilators and other needed medical products. 

We welcome the May 5 announcement by the Joe Biden administration that the US will stop blocking the waiver proposal first submitted by South Africa and India to the WTO last October and now supported by more than 100 developing countries. A global campaign that saw the tsunami of calls from ordinary citizens to Nobel laureates, former heads of state and even Pope Francis has been urging the US, European Union, Japan, Canada and other wealthy countries to not block the waiver. 

From October 2020 till last month, WTO discussions have gone nowhere because the blocking countries and the pharmaceutical industry behind them have put profits and self-interest above lives of the rest of the world. The result is vaccine production that is a monopoly of a few companies holding patents and trade secrets over technology know-how, and vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations, ending up with more than they need while many poor countries can barely vaccinate their health front-liners. This has triggered outrage across the world.

We have urged the Malaysian government to join the other developing countries since last November. While the government has secured vaccines for Malaysia, the actual delivery is totally dependent on the small number of suppliers, and there is no guarantee that we will get all we need.

Look at India, where the biggest manufacturer for AstraZeneca cannot export anymore because what they produce is not even enough for India itself.

The waiver that WTO members have to adopt is not just about vaccines. It is also about medicines for treating Covid-19, diagnostics, ventilator valves, and a range of needed medical products that have patents, trade secrets and other intellectual property protection. The US supports waiver of patent and other intellectual property for vaccines that is a first step, but it is not enough.

With the new waves of infections and more virulent variants, infections are soaring. Malaysia is on a worrying upward trend with the Health Ministry already raising the alarm that our intensive care beds are fast reaching full use. Every country including Malaysia must be prepared for this pandemic that is going to stretch for several years. Some existing medicines that are under clinical trials with potential for Covid-19 treatment are locked up in patents in Malaysia. Our local pharmaceutical industry can be part for the national health and security preparedness but they need the freedom to operate that a WTO waiver can help to speed up. 

We call on the government to not delay anymore, and to support the waiver for vaccines and also for treatment medicines, diagnostics and all the medical products needed for Covid-19.

We thank you and look forward to Malaysia joining the vast majority of the world’s governments in this urgently needed race against Covid-19. – May 7, 2021.

Signed by:

1. Agora Society Malaysia
2. Allied Coordinating Council of Muslim NGOs Malaysia
3. Amnesty International
4. Consumers Association of Penang
5. Health Equity Initiatives
6. Gerakan Kepenggunaan Masjid
7. Ikatan Pengamal Perubatan dan Kesihatan Muslim Malaysia
8. Ikatan Intelegensia Membangun Malaysia
9. Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim
10. Malay Economic Action Council
11. Malaysian AIDS Council
12. Malaysia Citizens’ Health Initiative
13. Malaysian Consumers Movement
14. Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur Family Support Welfare Association
15. Pertubuhan Penggerak Masyarakat Malaysia
16. Pertubuhan Muafakat Sejahtera Masyarakat Malaysia
17. Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations
18. Parti Sosialis Malaysia
19. Pertubuhan Wanita Malaysia untuk Kawalan Tembakau dan Kesihatan
20. Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Pesawah Malaysia
21. PT Foundation
22. Prostate Cancer Society Malaysia 
23. Pusat Kecemerlangan Pendidikan Ummah
24. Sahabat Alam Malaysia
25. The International Women’s Alliance for Family Institution and Quality Education
26. Third World Network
27. Together against Cancer
28. Teras Pengupayaan Melayu
29. Penang Forum
30. WeCareJourney Assocation
31. Vivekananda Home Rembau, Negri Sembilan

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.