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An important conversation, but tough reality below.
Bill Gates & his foundation have funded incredible, life changing Global Health work. However, Gates' commitment to patent rights & implications for COVID-19 vaccines in the midst of a global emergency deserve scrutiny.
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Bill Gates & his foundation have funded incredible, life changing Global Health work. However, Gates' commitment to patent rights & implications for COVID-19 vaccines in the midst of a global emergency deserve scrutiny.
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South Africa & India have called for a waiver on patents to accelerate vaccine access in the Global South.
Many wealthy countries have rejected this, a position supported by Gates. Activist have labelled the current situation a 'vaccine apartheid.'
2/6 https://mg.co.za/coronavirus-essentials/2021-01-30-bill-gates-big-pharma-and-entrenching-the-vaccine-apartheid/
Many wealthy countries have rejected this, a position supported by Gates. Activist have labelled the current situation a 'vaccine apartheid.'
2/6 https://mg.co.za/coronavirus-essentials/2021-01-30-bill-gates-big-pharma-and-entrenching-the-vaccine-apartheid/
Early in the development of the Oxford vaccine, Gates persuaded the @UniofOxford to reverse a promise to donate rights of its vaccine to any drug manufacturer.
3/6 https://khn.org/news/rather-than-give-away-its-covid-vaccine-oxford-makes-a-deal-with-drugmaker/
3/6 https://khn.org/news/rather-than-give-away-its-covid-vaccine-oxford-makes-a-deal-with-drugmaker/
Instead, of 'open rights,' Oxford partnered with AstraZeneca. Now, South Africa is paying more than double than the EU for the same vaccine.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/south-africa-paying-more-than-double-eu-price-for-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine 4/6
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/south-africa-paying-more-than-double-eu-price-for-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine 4/6
In the battle against Polio during the 1950s, Dr. Jonas Salk developed one of the first successful vaccines against the disease.
When asked who owns this patent, he replied:
"Well, the people I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?"
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When asked who owns this patent, he replied:
"Well, the people I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?"
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Instead of following the lead of Bill Gates here, check out the amazing work being done by @MSF & the @MSF_access campaign, on making COVID-19 vaccines available to all.
6/6 https://msfaccess.org/msf-calls-all-governments-support-landmark-move-wto-suspend-monopolies-during-covid-19
6/6 https://msfaccess.org/msf-calls-all-governments-support-landmark-move-wto-suspend-monopolies-during-covid-19
