Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

UK MPs Urge Boris Johnson to Publish Communications With Big Pharma Lobbyists on COVID Vaccines

UK MPs Urge Boris Johnson to Publish Communications With Big Pharma Lobbyists on COVID Vaccines

The US and a string of other developed countries, including the United Kingdom, have taken steps to stifle an initiative led by India and South Africa to temporarily waive pharmaceutical firms' intellectual property rights.

British lawmakers have insisted that the government make public all chats with pharmaceutical companies to have a clearer idea if any private lobbying took place impacting its opposition to an intellectual property (IP) waiver for COVID-19 jabs for certain WTO companies.

They signed a statement calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ministers, and senior civil servants to publish the whole bulk of text, including messenger and email exchanges with big pharma companies and their lobbyists. The statement was also signed by vaccine equity and patient advocacy entities, including Global Justice Now, Just Treatment, StopAIDS, Students for Global Health, and a number of others.

"The UK's opposition to an intellectual property waiver on COVID-19 vaccines is utterly indefensible", said Heidi Chow, senior policy and campaigns manager at Global Justice Now, which set up the joint statement.

A government spokesperson said the authorities put transparency to the fore, but would expect stakeholders to be entitled to a certain degree of confidentiality in their exchanges with partners.

"We are committed to exploring ways in which we can improve equitable access further and believe this should be done through the existing Intellectual Property framework", added the spokesperson.

The US, as well as a range of other countries, the UK among them, have stymied negotiations at the WTO vis-a-vis a proposal filed by India and South Africa, which have racked up the support of 100 WTO member states.

The proposal would enable developing countries to manufacture vaccines, after they obtain a temporary waiver of big pharma's patent rights – something US lawmakers and nonprofit organisations called the Biden administration to greenlight in the run-up to the next WTO meet-up on 5 May.

The US, Germany, and the UK are the top three donors to COVAX, aka COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, which is a global initiative aiming to give equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, under the auspices of the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organisation.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×