<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="">See also this new global civil society letter: <a href="https://peoplesvaccine.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PVA-Letter-to-WTO-DG-Dr-Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala-1.pdf" class="">https://peoplesvaccine.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PVA-Letter-to-WTO-DG-Dr-Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala-1.pdf</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/12/15/covid-tests-treatments-paxlovid-wto/10891676002/" class="">https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/12/15/covid-tests-treatments-paxlovid-wto/10891676002/</a></div><div class=""><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; color: rgb(48, 48, 48); font-stretch: normal; font-size: 36px; line-height: 38px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">COVID-19 isn't over. How to help everyone, everywhere endure the next stage.</h1><h2 class="gnt_ar_shl" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: 23px; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif; color: rgb(48, 48, 48); margin: 10px 0px 2px;">Hundreds of treatments are being developed, but unless governments urgently intervene, they also will remain out of reach for many people on earth.</h2><div class="gnt_ar_by" style="display: inline-flex; margin: 12px 6px 0px 0px; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(48, 48, 48);">Ángel Gurría</div><div class="gnt_ar_pb" style="display: inline; margin: 1px 0px 0px; color: rgb(48, 48, 48); font-stretch: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif;">Opinion contributor</div></div><div class=""><div class="gnt_ar_pb" style="display: inline; margin: 1px 0px 0px; color: rgb(48, 48, 48); font-stretch: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif;"><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><div class="gnt_ar_pb" style="display: inline; margin: 1px 0px 0px; color: rgb(48, 48, 48); font-stretch: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-family: "Georgia Pro", Georgia, "Droid Serif", serif;"><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">After more than two years of disruption, many of us are looking forward to a normal holiday season this year. The threat posed by COVID-19 has not gone away, but we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, with new tools that can prevent severe illness. At this time of reflection, however, we must ask why these avenues remain the preserve of the richest.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Nearly <a href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-sticker-shock-insurance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">6 million Americans have been treated with Pfizer’s Paxlovid</a>, a medicine <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-04-2022-who-recommends-highly-successful-covid-19-therapy-and-calls-for-wide-geographical-distribution-and-transparency-from-originator" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">recommended by the World Health Organization</a> to reduce the likelihood of hospitalization and death during a COVID-19 infection.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">A study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has even suggested that Paxlovid could protect patients <a href="https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5837" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">from developing long COVID</a>.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">For much of the world, however, treatments like Paxlovid might as well be a myth.</p><div class=""><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 28px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 24px; line-height: 26px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Only a quarter of Paxlovid gets to developing countries</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Doctors in rural Haiti, Madagascar and Nigeria told researchers they had <a href="https://itpcglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Mapping-Access-Gaps-in-COVID-19.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">never heard of the medicine</a>. <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/just-quarter-pfizers-covid-19-treatment-orders-will-go-developing-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">Only a quarter of all orders of Paxlovid</a> will go to developing countries.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al" style="margin-right: 3px;">Opinions in your inbox:</strong><a href="https://t.co/b5Eu1GKNOY?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:8|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">Get exclusive access to our columnists and the best of our columns every day</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">This is acutely felt in Latin America. Being middle-income economies, most Latin American countries have been excluded from deals to license generic versions of COVID-19 medicines. As such, they face paying 10 times the price of a generic equivalent, $250 instead of $25, clearly unfair, particularly given Latin America’s astounding pharmaceutical capacity. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Developing countries have faced severe delays and, even when doses were available, a patient anywhere must test positive for COVID-19 before a medicine like Paxlovid can be prescribed. </p><div class=""><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">In the West, COVID-19 tests are readily available in most pharmacies, but for every 50 tests administered in a rich country, <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/act-accelerator-facilitation-council-working-group-report-on-diagnostics-and-therapeutics" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">just one is administered in a lower-income country</a>. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">These countries have already paid the highest price for this pandemic. After waiting far longer to receive vaccines, low-income countries have suffered <a href="https://www.oxfam.org.uk/media/press-releases/covid-death-toll-four-times-higher-in-poorer-countries-than-rich-countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">four times more deaths</a> than rich countries, worsening the economic shock of the acute phase of this pandemic.</p></div></div><div class=""><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Unless we ensure everyone has access to tests and treatments, the global consequences of the next phase will be no less dire.</p><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 28px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 24px; line-height: 26px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Long COVID keeping millions out of work, hurting economic recovery</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">We are only now beginning to understand the threat of long COVID-19. In the United States alone, it is keeping <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/new-data-shows-long-covid-is-keeping-as-many-as-4-million-people-out-of-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">up to 4 million people out of work</a>, <a href="https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20220928/long-covid-could-cost-economy-trillions-experts" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">costing the economy trillions of dollars</a>.</p></div><div class=""><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">While we don’t yet know what impact it is having on developing countries, without access to treatments and tests, it will be devastating.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Hundreds of <a href="https://www.bio.org/policy/human-health/vaccines-biodefense/coronavirus/pipeline-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">COVID-19 treatments are being developed</a>, including more than 70 in late-stage clinical trials. These could be more effective for preventing conditions like long COVID.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Unless governments urgently intervene, they also will remain out of reach for most persons.</p><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 28px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 24px; line-height: 26px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">COVID questions at World Trade Organization</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Earlier in the pandemic, President Joe Biden won international acclaim by <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/05/06/covid-vaccine-patents-biden-boosts-american-leadership-column/4932766001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">supporting a waiver of the intellectual property rules</a> that prevent low- and middle-income countries from producing COVID-19 vaccines. He stood strong in the face of a determined lobbying effort from the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, declaring that the United States was back on the world stage.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al" style="margin-right: 3px;">International leaders:</strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2022/08/16/vaccine-pandemic-who-global-production/10299280002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:26|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">How we're building better, more equitable vaccine systems</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al" style="margin-right: 3px;">World Bank Group:</strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2022/11/08/covid-learning-loss-children-global-crisis/10654250002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:27|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">We need to reverse the global learning crisis before it derails a generation of children</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">The deal ultimately reached at the World Trade Organization (WTO), however, was far more limited. Rather than waive intellectual property rules, it provided a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/business/wto-covid-vaccine-patent.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">new route for countries to produce COVID-19 vaccines</a> without a patent holder’s consent and with fewer export restrictions. This constituted a tweak to rules for producing generic medicines, rather than a radical departure from the status quo.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">On June 17, <a href="https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/MIN22/W15R1.pdf&Open=True" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">WTO members pledged</a> they would reach a decision on all COVID-19 medicines, including tests and treatments, within six months. Thursday is supposed to be the final WTO meeting before the deadline. But, last week, <a href="https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2022/december/us-support-extension-deadline-wto-trips-ministerial-decision-requests-usitc-investigation-provide-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">the United States asked for more time</a>. </p></div><div class=""><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Washington has had more than two years to consider the issue. A further delay will not benefit those facing the consequences of COVID-19.</p><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 28px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 24px; line-height: 26px; font-family: "Unify Sans", "Helvetica Neue", "Arial Nova", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Support the production of lifesaving generics</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Bringing tests and treatments into this deal would give every country the tools to help their populations through the next phase of the pandemic. Treatments and tests are easier to store and administer than vaccines, particularly in countries with weaker health systems and storage facilities.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Moreover, unlike vaccines, patents are the only real barrier stopping many lower-income countries from producing cheaper generics.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">My own country, Mexico, has not taken a clear position. The government initially <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/6/14/global-health-is-on-its-deathbed-we-need-vaccine-waivers-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">advocated for a full intellectual property waiver</a> for vaccines, tests and treatments, but then <a href="https://ipwatchdog.com/2022/11/04/mexico-switzerland-question-need-extension-covid-ip-waiver/id=152544/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">joined those who question</a> the need for action on the latter and reportedly called for a “<a href="https://healthpolicy-watch.news/how-do-you-spell-deadlock-t-r-i-p-s/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px;">compromise</a>” that would limit a deal to certain products.</p><div class=""><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Washington can seriously influence political dynamics at the WTO. The support of the United States and Mexico, two key players of the Americas, will embolden other neighboring countries to support the production of lifesaving generics across the region.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">Bringing treatments and tests into the WTO’s deal would not be a radical departure from the status quo. It is, however, a small tweak that could save countless lives and a major step in ensuring that everyone, everywhere can endure the next stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 14px 0px; font-size: 18px;">This could positively impact and fuel the global economic recovery – a remarkable Christmas gift to the world.</p><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.oecd.org/about/secretary-general/former-oecd-secretary-general-angel-gurria-cv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">Ángel Gurría</a><span style="font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development from 2006 until 2021, served in the government of Mexico as minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of Finance and Public Credit. He is an honorary member of </span><a href="https://clubmadrid.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">Club de Madrid</a><span style="font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">. Follow him on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/A_Gurria" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" style="color: rgb(48, 48, 48); text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 152, 254); text-decoration-thickness: 2px; text-underline-offset: 2px; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">@A_Gurria</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></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="">
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