Why it’s hard to stomach big pharma’s complaints about Covid vaccine patent waivers

The patent system exists to reward innovation but it has been abused on repeated occasions by drug companies. If a waiver gets vaccines to where they are needed then refuseniks, including the UK, should fall into line with Joe Biden, writes James Moore

There is an urgent need to get vaccine supplies into Covid hotspots around the world (AFP via Getty)

No, nay, never, was the reaction of the pharmaceutical industry to America’s potentially game-changing move to back a vaccine patent waiver in an attempt to improve global supplies. 

The argument of the drug companies is: innovation would be stifled, threatening the development of future treatments, and that would be disastrous for patients. 

Do they have a point?