David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The US has changed its stance on the waiver but some of our guests said that it did not go far enough. The US trade representative, Katherine Tai, announced in 2021 that the US would support the waiver of IP protections in the context of Covid-19 vaccines that were introduced by the governments of India and South Africa. That is a major step forward. Jorge Contreras, from the University of Utah, stated in Intereconomicsthat:

...even if a company is legally required to “share” its proprietary trade secrets and manufacturing know-how with others, there are countless ways to delay and subvert the effective transfer of knowledge. In practice, the most effective technology sharing programs are supported by voluntary action rather than governmental compulsion.

Has the industry considered voluntary knowledge transfer to alleviate the global supply shortages? Does the IPHA agree that there are 100 manufacturing sites across the world that are now able to manufacture generic versions of Covid-19 vaccines?