<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><i class="">Press release with link to the US and international letters below...</i></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><h1 data-test-locator="headline" style="font-size: 3.08em; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.2; color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-stretch: normal; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Groups urge Biden to reject potential WTO 'concept' on COVID-19 vaccine barriers</h1><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">By Andrea Shalal</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - Doctors without Borders, Oxfam America, Amnesty International and other top civil society groups on Wednesday urged U.S. President Joe Biden to reject a potential deal on COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property rights at the World Trade Organization.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">In a letter, the groups called the proposal a "rehash" of a European Union position that fell far short of the rights waiver Biden backed in May 2021 to speed vaccines to developing countries.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">"This leaked text ... would impose new conditions limiting the existing WTO rules that now allow countries to issue compulsory licenses for patented products," the organizations said.</div><div class="caas-da" style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div id="sda-INARTICLE" class=""></div></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">They noted that India and South Africa, which had worked on the compromise language with the United States and the European Union, had not yet formally endorsed the "concept."</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Wednesday told U.S. lawmakers there was no agreement on what she called the "concept" of a compromise developed during discussions facilitated by WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">A text of the proposed compromise seen by Reuters earlier this month sought to waive IP rights to COVID-19 vaccines and supplies. It needs to be finalized and accepted by the WTO's 164 member countries.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Some critics argue that the potential deal does not go far enough beyond a mandatory vaccine licensing regime, while others see it harming the IP rights of big companies.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The groups urged Biden to redouble U.S. efforts to negotiate an "actual waiver" to boost COVID-19 vaccine production.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">European civil society groups have voiced similar concerns in a separate letter to EU officials.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The U.S. groups said the potential deal would add burdensome conditions to WTO rules by requiring identification of all relevant patents, data that was not readily available.</div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: rgb(29, 34, 40); font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">"If adopted as-is, this text, while continuing to privilege Big Pharma monopolies and profits, would continue to deny access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to millions around the world," the groups wrote. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Richard Chang)</div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><img id="Picture_x0020_1" apple-inline="yes" src="cid:image001.png@01D84443.DB4BDFB0" class=""></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">For Immediate Release: March 30, 2022<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Contact: Mike Stankiewicz, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""><a href="mailto:mike@tradejusticeedfund.org" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">mike@tradejusticeedfund.org</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">, (202) 255-7472<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">U.S. Health, Human Rights, Consumer and Faith Leaders Urge President Biden to Reject Leaked WTO Text and Fight for a Waiver of WTO IP Barriers Limiting Global Access to COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments and Tests</span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Washington, D.C. — Leading U.S. organizations today joined their </span><a href="https://healthjusticeinitiative.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL-SA-CSO-Letter-to-Minister-Patel-30-03-22-signatures.pdf" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">South Africa</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">n</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> and </span><a href="https://twitter.com/campaign4meds/status/1504424383171170306/photo/1" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">India</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">n counterparts</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> in urging their government to reject a recently-leaked alternative to a waiver of World Trade Organization (WTO) intellectual property (IP) barriers. In a <a href="https://tradejusticeedfundorg.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/potus_leakedwtoproposalltr_033022.pdf" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class="">letter</a>, the groups called on President Biden to redouble U.S. efforts to urgently enact a waiver to boost production of COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests necessary to save lives and stabilize the global economy.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">European civil society organizations today </span><a href="https://haiweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/CS-Letter-on_Leaked-Waiver-Text.pdf" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">also wrote</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> to EU and EU member-country officials urging them to desist from pushing others to support the leaked WTO text, which reflects opposition to a WTO Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) waiver by pharmaceutical interests and EU trade officials. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“This text is just another rehash of the EU’s efforts to thwart the very concept of a waiver, despite support for it by almost all other WTO nations. The text restates existing WTO rules that have proved unsuitable for boosting COVID-19 supplies as if they were new, and then imposes burdensome new conditions on nations seeking to use the existing flexibilities,” the letter notes.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><w:sdt sdttag="goog_rdk_32" id="1517894355" class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><w:sdtpr class=""></w:sdtpr><w:sdt sdttag="goog_rdk_30" id="967402381" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Letter signers include Doctors Without Borders, Partners In Health, Oxfam America, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Public Citizen, Health GAP, Knowledge Ecology International, Treatment Action Group, NETWORK, Citizens Trade Campaign, Trade Justice Education Fund and ReThink Trade. </span></w:sdt><w:sdt showingplchdr="t" sdttag="goog_rdk_31" id="1815599581" class=""> </w:sdt><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></w:sdt><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“In sum, this text would not achieve any of the goals of the promised TRIPS waiver that a large majority of the world’s governments, including yours, and public health and faith leaders, have demanded. But it would establish dangerous new precedents limiting use of the existing, limited TRIPS flexibilities. This includes new obligations to identify all relevant patents implicated in authorization orders despite this information not being readily available and having to notify the WTO of authorized entities, receiving nations, quantities, and more. None of this is now required to use the existing WTO flexibilities that this text restates,” the letter states.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“If adopted as-is, this text, while continuing to privilege Big Pharma monopolies and profits, would continue to deny access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to millions around the world. Thus, absent major improvements, we urge you to reject this text,” the letter states. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The full letter is copied below:</span></i></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">President Joseph R. Biden<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The White House<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">1600 Pennsylvania Avenue<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Washington, DC 20500<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> March 30, 2022<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Dear President Biden:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The undersigned leaders of U.S. health, human rights, consumer and faith organizations write to express our deep concern with the alternative to a waiver of World Trade Organization (WTO) intellectual property (IP) barriers that recently leaked. Your goal of saving lives worldwide from the ravages of COVID-19 will not be furthered by accepting this text, which would in practice be worse than the status quo with respect to global access to lifesaving vaccines and treatments. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">In May 2021, you called for a waiver of “intellectual property” barriers to support global production of COVID-19 vaccines. This leaked text, in contrast, would impose <i class="">new</i> conditions limiting the <i class="">existing</i> WTO rules that now allow countries to issue compulsory licenses for patented products.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The leaked text facilitated (and presumably prepared) by the WTO Secretariate codifies the lowest-common denominator of issues that have deadlocked WTO “TRIPS waiver” negotiations: European Union opposition to waiving WTO IP barriers and U.S. insistence that any text be limited to vaccines. India and South Africa have not agreed to the leaked text. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">This text is just another rehash of the EU’s efforts to thwart the very concept of a waiver, despite support for it by almost all other WTO nations. The text restates existing WTO rules that have proved unsuitable for boosting COVID-19 supplies as if they were new, and then imposes burdensome new conditions on nations seeking to use the existing flexibilities.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">This text, which leading South African academics call “misleading” in a letter asking their president to reject it, also focusses only on patents. As Indian civil society groups note in a letter urging their Prime Minister to reject the text, it leaves in place IP barriers related to trade secrets and undisclosed data that can impede the expansion of vaccine production.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Even if these problems were remedied, this text does not apply to diagnostic tests and treatments.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">When you announced support for a TRIPS waiver for vaccines, you called it an extraordinary measure to counter an extraordinary threat. Since then, the advent of highly effective anti-viral and monoclonal antibody treatments provide new life-saving tools, particularly given waning vaccine immunity. You said in your State of the Union address that an important way forward to counter COVID is “test to treat.” Yet we understand that the U.S. government continues to oppose removal of WTO IP barriers to boost access to life-saving treatments and tests for the rest of the world. This is not only unconscionable, it can severely undermine nations’ ability to manage and contain future outbreaks, leaving the world vulnerable to the continual rise of new COVID-19 variants.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The leaked text’s exclusion of some countries further undermines the ability to scale-up production and distribution of COVID-19 medications around the world even were the relevant IP barriers waived across vaccines, tests, and treatments.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">In sum, this text would not achieve any of the goals of the promised TRIPS waiver that a large majority of the world’s governments, including yours, and public health and faith leaders, have demanded. But it would establish dangerous new precedents limiting use of the existing, limited TRIPS flexibilities. This includes new obligations to identify all relevant patents implicated in authorization orders despite this information not being readily available and having to notify the WTO of authorized entities, receiving nations, quantities, and more. None of this is now required to use the existing WTO flexibilities that this text restates.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">That is why South African and Indian academic and civil society leaders consider adoption of this text to be worse than the already problematic WTO status quo. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">We urge you to insist on an actual waiver of the full range of IP barriers and end the U.S. refusal to include treatments and diagnostic tests. We urge you to insist on the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">removal of all TRIPS-plus measures, including patent-listing and WTO notification requirements. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">If adopted as-is, this text, while continuing to privilege Big Pharma monopolies and profits, would continue to deny access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to millions around the world. Thus, absent major improvements, we urge you to reject this text. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Sincerely,</span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><br clear="all" style="break-before: page;" class=""></span><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Carrie Teicher<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Acting Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Doctors Without Borders/Médicins Sans Frontieres (MSF)<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Sheila Davis<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">CEO</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Partners In Health<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Abby Maxman<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">President and CEO</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Oxfam America<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Paul O’Brien<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Amnesty International USA<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Robert Weissman<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">President</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Public Citizen<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Sarah Yager<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Washington Directo</span>r</i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Human Rights Watch<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">James Love<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Knowledge Ecology International<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Asia Russell<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Health GAP<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Mark Harrington<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Treatment Action Group<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Mary J. Novak<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Arthur Stamoulis<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Executive Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Lori Wallach<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><i class="">Director</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Rethink Trade<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Laura Peralta-Schulte<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">President<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Trade Justice Education Fund<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""> </span></div></div><br class=""><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
</div>
<br class=""></body></html>