By Youngshin Lee and Fumie Griego
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| Youngshin Lee |
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| Fumie Griego |
The success of Korea's Fourth Industrial Revolution, and more specifically its new government's plan to make the biopharmaceutical industry one of three top growth drivers of the Korean economy, hinges on the intellectual property (IP) protections that encourage industry researchers and their investors to collaborate and investigate new drugs to combat COVID-19 and other diseases.
Unfortunately, this is under threat.
In December, the World Trade Organization (WTO), of which Korea is a leading member, will consider whether to waive intellectual property protections on COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. Proponents claim this step will enable manufacturers in developing countries to produce generic versions of these medicines and tests, thereby helping scale up production and improve access in lower-income countries.
That's a worthy goal ― but their plan is deeply flawed. Intellectual property rights haven't prevented developing countries from accessing COVID-19 treatments or vaccines. Just the opposite ― strong IP protections have given pharma companies the confidence to join forces and carry out joint research and manufacturing in all corners of the globe.
Those collaborations have helped accelerate the production of lifesaving medicines, while maintaining their quality and the security of their supply chains.
The upcoming WTO decision is worrisome for the 36 approved therapeutics for COVID-19; but it could seriously impact the 98 percent of potential treatments that are currently in the development pipeline ― 415 of which are in late-stage clinical trials.
This is bad news as we continue to see the virus evolve and research must continue. What is more, many of these potential treatments in the pipeline have applications and could offer breakthroughs in helping patients with other diseases.
Consider how global pharmaceutical companies are joining forces with Korean firms in the development and scaling up manufacturing of treatments. For instance, GSK, Biogen, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly are collaborating with Samsung Biologics, and others like SK Bioscience, Celltrion, and Dongbang FTL.
Weakening IP protections won't increase the availability of drugs in developing countries.
All the IP waiver would do is deter companies like Samsung Biologics and their partners from investing in R&D in the first place ― putting at risk Korea's open innovation growth strategy. These are just some of the around 150 voluntary licenses that have so far been signed around the world.
Today, the production of approved treatments exceeds the needs, and there are multiple ways in which lower-income countries can secure the doses.
None of this means that equitable access to treatments and vaccines isn't important. It definitely is ― and it is an area where the global health community, governments, civil society and our industry, have been found wanting. In future pandemics, equitable access needs to be the top priority of governments and industry alike.
Leading biopharmaceutical companies have already outlined plans for equitable access in the Berlin Declaration. The proposal would ensure that from day one of any production of a successful vaccine or treatment, a percentage would be put aside for distribution for the vulnerable populations in lower-income countries. This would mean that wherever those most in need lived, from day one, doses would be ready for them.
This could potentially be a very practical thing to do and a game changer in making equity a reality. But the proposal won't work if there's no pipeline of treatments in a future pandemic. It will also be ineffective if there's no financial support to strengthen healthcare delivery systems in low- and middle-income countries so that they can distribute the vaccines and treatments swiftly.
Korea's scientists and workers have fought hard to build the country's impressive position as Asia's innovation powerhouse, which has been amply demonstrated by its role in bringing solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic. IP waivers would undermine this progress.
No one wants to go back to the days when Korean drugmakers conducted research in secrecy due to the risk of technologies being stolen. This will certainly not be the solution to responding to any future pandemics nor for Korea to achieve its economic goals. Today, it might be a waiver on COVID-19 treatments, but tomorrow it could be a waiver on another innovation.
That's why Korean leaders can play a critical role in showing how voluntary approaches are working and calling out the faulty premise underlying the WTO waiver proposal in the coming weeks.
Youngshin Lee is chief executive officer of the Korean Research-based Pharmaceutical Industry Association (KRPIA). Fumie Griego is deputy director general and chief operating officer of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).
