MSF Canada Briefing Note: WTO COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver

In July 2020, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, “We call on global leaders to commit to contributing to an equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, based on the spirit of a greater freedom for all." MSF is responding to this call by asking Canada act upon this commitment at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and support the proposal originally put forth by India and South Africa to allow all countries to choose to neither grant nor enforce patents and other intellectual property (IP) related to COVID-19 drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other health technologies for the duration of the pandemic, until global herd immunity is achieved. This briefing note summarizes MSF's positions on what Canada can do to support this landmark IP waiver proposal at WTO.