Coronavirus: the Pope asked for the suspension of patents on vaccines

05/08/2021 9:52 AM

• Clarín.com

• World

Updated 05/08/2021 9:54 AM

Pope Francis reiterated his request for the "temporary suspension of

intellectual property rights

" of vaccines against the coronavirus, and thus added his voice to a debate that was reactivated after the support of the United States president for the initiative, while at the same time he emphasized the call for

"universal access"

to drugs.

The Pope called for "a spirit of justice that mobilizes us to ensure

universal access to the vaccine

and the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights", in a video message he sent to the event

"Vax Live: The Concert To Reunite The World, "

which is broadcast this weekend via

streaming

.

In his video, which was recorded before the announcement of the US administration announcing a similar position, the Pope also called to work for "a spirit of communion that allows us to generate a

different

, more inclusive, fair and sustainable

economic model

."

"The coronavirus has produced deaths and suffering, affecting the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable," Jorge Bergoglio framed his speech.

The Pope defined that there is a variant of this virus that "is closed nationalism, which prevents, for example, an internationalism of vaccines. Another variant is when we put the laws of the market or intellectual property over

the laws of love and the health of humanity,

"he lamented.

Along these lines, he also regretted that "another variant is when we create and promote an ailing economy, which allows a

very rich few to

own more than the rest of humanity, and that production and consumption models destroy the planet, our common home. ".

Then, Francisco stated that "obviously we are experiencing a crisis", and that "the pandemic put us all in crisis."

"But do not forget that we do not come out the same after a crisis, or

we come out better or worse

. The problem is having the inventiveness to find better ways," Francisco summoned.

Earlier in the week, the United States announced its support for the release of patents for coronavirus vaccines at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The European Union also declared itself ready to discuss the matter.

"This is a global health crisis and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic require extraordinary measures," said Washington's trade representative to the WTO, Katherine Tai.

With information from Télam. 

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