Pfizer has warned Australia against joining a growing push to waive the intellectual property protections for Covid-19 vaccines, arguing it could actually harm vaccine supply and invite less safe copycats.
Pfizer Australia made the submission to a parliamentary inquiry into vaccine fraud, arguing that open-slather production could see scarce inputs snapped up making it harder to produce its vaccines, which form a large component of Australia’s rollout.
Pressure mounts on Australia to support Covid vaccine intellectual property waiver for developing nations
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The inquiry has also received submissions from the home affairs and attorney general’s departments warning Australians could be subjected to phishing scams offering vaccines, a risk exacerbated by blood clot concerns with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Australia has so far resisted calls for the World Trade Organization to waive patents on Covid-19 vaccines, which would allow more pharmaceutical companies to manufacture them in a bid to boost supply in developing countries.
Earlier in May, the United States reversed its long-held opposition, leaving Australia in the minority as more than 100 countries back the move, championed by India and South Africa.
Australia has proposed a compromise that would require poorer countries and those manufacturing the generic vaccines to pay for rights to formulas but has left the door open to a full waiver in the wake of the US repositioning.
