COVID-19: Principles for Global Access, Innovation and Cooperation
COVID-19 has no nation and no ethnicity. If the pandemic goes unattended in one country, it will accelerate beyond that country’s borders, potentially overwhelming the world’s ability to respond.
Nationalistic responses to COVID-19 are ineffective. Countries must urgently work together to ramp up the production of all medical countermeasures, from masks and ventilators to tests, treatments and vaccines, and ensure that everyone receives the medical attention they need. We must tend not only to COVID-19 and its symptoms, but to people’s ongoing and underlying health needs, which will become more acute as the pandemic runs its course.
There is real danger that access to medical breakthroughs addressing COVID-19 will be restricted by nation, by price, by limited production and fragmented supply lines, and by exclusivity and commercial confidentiality. We must prevent this – and help change medical innovation, health and nationalism – by moving corporations, health agencies and governments to share medical technology, invest in public manufacturing capacity and promote access for all.
We are concerned that powerful countries may favor their drug corporations and hoard medical tools at the expense of global cooperation. We are concerned that privileged individuals who receive tests, treatments and vaccines first may not be those who need them most. We stand in solidarity with those disproportionately affected by factors such as health status, geography, age, gender or race.
We call on governments, agencies, manufacturers, donors and development partners to commit to:
Innovation for all: Monopoly-based drug development is failing the world. Governments should support open science and research practices for COVID-19 related health needs that align innovation and timely access. Technology owners should commit patents, trade secrets, know-how, cell lines, copyright, software, data, and all other relevant intellectual property to the public domain. Access and affordability should be integral requirements of the entire research and development (R&D) and manufacturing process.
Access for all: Medical tools urgently needed to diagnose, treat, mitigate and prevent COVID-19 should be accessible and available to all without delay, with necessary priority given to healthcare workers and vulnerable populations. Governments must ensure that diagnostics, treatments, devices, vaccines, and personal protective equipment are priced fairly and affordably to healthcare payers and are free to the public at the point of care in all countries. Corporations and other intellectual property holders must suspend enforcement of exclusivities.
Solidarity and global cooperation: Governments, technology owners and researchers should urgently coordinate with the World Health Organization to organize platforms for the public sharing of R&D outcomes, data, know-how and intellectual property to accelerate innovation, quickly scale-up production and mitigate shortages and supply chain vulnerability. Medical tools must be manufactured for the public in robust supply to meet unprecedented global need and promptly distributed across borders.
Good governance and transparency: Governments and international organizations should promote transparency and meaningful civil society participation in critical decision-making processes. Funders and technology developers should ensure that costs related to R&D and manufacturing as well as pricing, regulatory status and intellectual property claims all are published transparently.
Health is a human right. Medical knowledge is a public good. No one should be left behind.
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Organizational Sign-on
International
| Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDI) |
| Health Action International |
| Health GAP |
| International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) |
| Médecins du Monde |
| Médecins Sans Frontières Access Campaign |
| OXFAM |
| ReAct–Action on Antibiotic Resistance |
| Society for International Development |
| Soroptimist International |
| T1 International |
| Third World Network |
| Women Enabled International |
Regional
| AIDS Action Europe |
| Caritas de América Latina y el Caribe |
| Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) |
| DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) |
| DiEM25 |
| EQUINET (Eastern and Southern Africa) |
| European Alliance for Responsible R&D and Affordable Medicines |
| FEMNET – African Women’s Development and Communication Network |
| International Association for Health Policies in Europe (IAHPE) |
| International Treatment Preparedness Coalition Latin American and Caribbean ITPC-LATCA. |
| International Treatment Preparedness Coalition Middle East and North Africa (ITPC-MENA) |
| International Treatment Preparedness Coalition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ITPCru) |
North America
| ACNS | Canada |
| AIDS HealthCare Foundation | United States |
| American Medical Student Association | United States |
| Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation | United States |
| Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network | Canada |
| Center for Economic Justice | United States |
| Center for Popular Democracy | United States |
| Chronic Illness Advocacy & Awareness Group | United States |
| Citizen Action of Wisconsin | United States |
| Citizen Trade Campaign | United States |
| COCQ-SIDA | Canada |
| Council of Canadians | Canada |
| Doctors for America | United States |
| EnGen Collaborative | United States |
| Faith in Healthcare | United States |
| HealthWrights | United States |
| Hesperian Health Guides | United States |
| HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario | Canada |
| Indivisible | United States |
| Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK) | United States |
| Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy | United States |
| Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility | United States |
| Knowledge Ecology International | United States |
| Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns | United States |
| Ore Group | United States |
| Public Citizen | United States |
| Salud y Farmacos USA | United States |
| The Democracy Collaborative | United States |
| The Well Project | United States |
| Treatment Action Group | United States |
| Universities Allied for Essential Medicines | United States |
| Women’s Health in Women’s Hands CHC | Canada |
| Yale Global Health Justice Partnership | United States |
Europe
| 100%Life | Ukraine |
| Access to Medicines Ireland | Ireland |
| Action against AIDS Germany | Germany |
| AIDES | France |
| AIHTA | Austria |
| Aitec | France |
| Albanian Coalition for Education | Albania |
| Albanian National Youth Network (ANYN) | Albania |
| Altroconsumo | Italy |
| Anders Handeln | Austria |
| ARAS – Romanian Association Against AIDS | Romania |
| Association des Femmes de l’Europe Méridionale | France |
| Association of Women of Southern Europe (AFEM) | France |
| Asociación por un Acceso Justo al Medicamento (AAJM) | Spain |
| Attac Austria | Austria |
| Attac France | France |
| Attac Ireland | Ireland |
| BAME Lawyers for Justice | United Kingdom |
| BARAC UK | United Kingdom |
| BUKO Pharma-Kampagne | Germany |
| CBM International | Germany |
| Centre for Community-Driven Research | Switzerland |
| Child Rights Centre Albania | Albania |
| Commons Network | Netherlands |
| Consumer Association the Quality of Life-EKPIZO | Greece |
| Creación Positiva | Spain |
| Ecologistas en Acción | Spain |
| EPSU | Belgium |
| European Alternatives | Italy |
| Fairwatch | Italy |
| Fondation Eboko | France |
| Gen-ethisches Netzwerk e.V. | Germany |
| Global Health Advocates | Belgium |
| Global Justice Now | United Kingdom |
| Groupe sida Genève | Switzerland |
| ICDC (International Code Documentation Centre) | Netherlands |
| Just Treatment | United Kingdom |
| KEPKA – Consumers’ Protection Center | Greece |
| LWC Health | Netherlands |
| Médecins du Monde Belgique | Belgium |
| Medicines Law & Policy | Netherlands |
| Milieukontakt Albania | Albania |
| Naturefriends Greece | Greece |
| Novi put | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation | Netherlands |
| Phasuma (Pharmaceutical Supply Management consultancy) | Netherlands |
| Positively UK | United Kingdom |
| Prescrire | France |
| Public Eye | Switzerland |
| Salamander Trust | United Kingdom |
| Salud por Derecho | Spain |
| Sophia Forum | United Kingdom |
| Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland | United Kingdom |
| Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) | Belgium |
| STOPAIDS | United Kingdom |
| Turkish Medical Association | Turkey |
| Ubi Lab Leeds | United Kingdom |
| Unidos por la Paz Alemania | Germany |
| Universidad de Barcelona | Spain |
| Vrijschrift | Netherlands |
| WECF- Women Engage for a Common Future | Netherlands |
| Wemos | Nederland |
| Women Against Nuclear Power | Finland |
| World Vision | Germany |
| Worldwide Unemployed Workers Unions | Australia |
| Yolse, Santé Publique & Innovation | Switzerland |
Sub-Saharan Africa
| African Union of Consumers | Chad |
| Agence De Medecine Preventive Afrique (Amp) | Cote d’Ivoire |
| Appui Solidaire Pour Le Renforcement De L Aide Au Developpement . | Mali |
| Cancer Alliance | South Africa |
| Child Way Uganda . | Uganda |
| Consumer Protection Association . | Lesotho |
| Contribution à l’éducation de Base | Niger |
| Fondation Joseph The Worker/ Structure Lazarienne | Benin |
| Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERON) | Nigeria |
| Hope for Future Generations | Ghana |
| Initiatives for Research and Training for Development (IRFD) | Cameroon |
| Ivy Foundation | Malawi |
| Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET) | Kenya |
| Les Anges du Ciel | Congo |
| Love to Love Organization | Uganda |
| Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) | Malawi |
| Muleide | Mozambique |
| Nelson Mandela TB HIV Community Information and Resource Center CBO | Kenya |
| Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) | Ghana |
| New Age Foundation | Zimbabwe |
| ONG ID SAHEL AFRIQUE | Mali |
| Organisation for Sustainable Socio-Economic development Initiative in Malawi | Malawi |
| People’s Health Movement South Africa | South Africa |
| Policy Analysis and Research Institute of Lesotho (PARIL) | Lesotho |
| RADEM (Recherche et Action pour un Développement Multisectoriel) | Congo |
| Reconciliation and Development Association (RADA) | Cameroon |
| Refacof | Cameroon |
| Section27 | South Africa |
| Silver Lining for the Needy Initiative | Nigeria |
| Society of Development and Care (SODECA) | Kenya |
| Solidarité Agissante pour le Développement Familial (SADF) | Congo |
| Southern & East African Trade Institute | Uganda |
| Southern & East African Trade Institute – SEATINI South Africa | South Africa |
| Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV | Tanzania |
| Triangle Project | South Africa |
| UNOADD (Union des Organismes d’Appui au Développement Durable) | Cameroon |
| Vaccine Network for Disease Control | Nigeria |
| Youth Engage | Zimbabwe |
Middle East and North Africa
| Al Marsad | Palestine |
| ATP+ | Tunisia |
| DAMJ Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality | Tunisia |
| Juzoor for health and social development | Palestine |
| SIDC | Lebanon |
East Asia and Pacific
| Access to Medicines Research Group | China |
| Africa Japan Forum | Japan |
| AIDS Access Foundation | Thailand |
| Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) | Malaysia |
| Commons Foundation | South Korea |
| CSRD | Vietnam |
| Drug System Monitoring & Development Center | Thailand |
| Focus on the Global South | Thailand |
| Health and Development Foundation | Thailand |
| Indonesia AIDS Coalition | Indonesia |
| Indonesia for Global Justice | Indonesia |
| Knowledge Commune | South Korea |
| Korean Federation Medical Activist Groups for Health Rights | South Korea |
| Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society (KPDS) | South Korea |
| Myanmar Positive Group | Myanmar |
| People’s Health Institute | South Korea |
| Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+) | Malaysia |
| Social Action for Community and Development | Cambodia |
| Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS | Thailand |
| The Messenger Band Camboda | Cambodia |
| Women’s Network for Unity | Cambodia |
South Asia
| All India Drug Action Network | India |
| Bangladesh Krishok Federation | Bangladesh |
| Be the Change Organization | Afghanistan |
| Bridge Hope Health Organization (BHHO) | Afghanistan |
| Center for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD) | Bangladesh |
| Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences | India |
| Initiative for Health & Equity in Society | India |
| IT for Change | India |
| Lawyers Collective | India |
| Meera Foundation | India |
| Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum | Pakistan |
| Roshni Tariqiyati Tanzeem | Pakistan |
| Rural Empowerment and Institutional Development (REPID) | Pakistan |
| Sanayee Development Organization | Afghanistan |
| Sukaar Welfare Organization | Pakistan |
| Tinpuste | Nepal |
| Unnayan Shahojogy Team (UST) | Bangladesh |
| Voices for Interactive Choices and Empowerment | Bangladesh |
| Youth Foundation of Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
Latin America
| Acción Ciudadana contra el Sida ACCSI | Venezuela |
| Acción Internacional para la Salud | Perú |
| AID FOR AIDS_ COLOMBIA | Colombia |
| Asociación Comunidad hepatitis C Uruguay | Uruguay |
| Asociación Mexicana de Vacunologia AC | México |
| Asociación Taller Abierto | Colombia |
| Caribe Afirmativo | Colombia |
| Centro de Información de Medicamentos de la Universidad Nacional de
Colombia |
Colombia |
| Centro de Estudios para la Equidad y la Gobernanza en los Sistemas de Salud | Guatemala |
| Centro de Pensamiento “Medicamentos, Información y Poder” de la
Universidad Nacional de Colombia |
Colombia |
| Colectivo Amigos contra el Sida -CAS- | Guatemala |
| Corporación Diversa del Magdalena | Colombia |
| Corporacion RED ELITE | Colombia |
| CORPORACION RED SOMOS | Colombia |
| Corporación red para la protección de personas con VIh tejiendo vída | Colombia |
| CUFAR | Argentina |
| Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia | Mexico |
| FEDESALUD | Colombia |
| Fundacion Amigosnpor la Vida | Colombia |
| Fundación Amigos Positivos | Colombia |
| Fundación Colectivo Hombres Gay | Colombia |
| Fundación Cristiana El SHADDAI | Colombia |
| Fundacion IFARMA | Colombia |
| Fundación Internet Bolivia | Bolivia |
| Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiara, AC MEXFAM | Mexico |
| FUNDACION PRODIHOGAR | Colombia |
| Global Humanitarian Progress Corp. | Colombia |
| Grupo de Investigación Derecho y Desarrollo: Prometeo. Facultad de
Derecho, Universidad Nacional de Colombia |
Colombia |
| HEPATITIS VIRALES COLOMBIA | Colombia |
| Huaira Foundation | Ecuador |
| Iacojumo | Colombia |
| Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano | Bolivia |
| Jovenes En Diversidad Activa | Colombia |
| Justicia, Salud, Desarrollo -CODEDCO Bolivia | Bolivia |
| Kimirina | Ecuador |
| MoKexteya Asesoroa Tecnica Comunitaria en Salud | México |
| Movimiento Trans Feminista Bolivia | Bolivia |
| MSACVCO | Colombia |
| ONG Políticas Farmacéuticas CHILE | Chile |
| Plataforma de las Américas y el Caribe de Coalition Plus | Ecuador |
| Reaccion Climatica | Bolivia |
| Recolvih | Colombia |
| Red social de Apoyo | Colombia |
| Somos Eco Somos | Colombia |
| Sula Batsu Coop | Costa Rica |
| Vademécum Farmacoterapéutico del Ecuador | Ecuador |
| Vigimets | El Salvador |