The letter, dated December 4, 2023, is addressed to President Joseph R. Biden by the Council for Innovation Promotion, a bipartisan group comprised of former senior government officials, university technology transfer experts, and leaders from trade and health sectors. The signatories urge President Biden to oppose the World Trade Organization's proposed waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights for Covid-19 therapeutics and diagnostics. Citing recent findings from the International Trade Commission, they argue that disparities in global access to Covid-19 treatments are caused by logistical and systemic non-IP barriers, not by patent protections. The letter emphasizes that robust IP rights are fundamental to U.S. innovation, economic competitiveness, and future preparedness against public health crises.
The signatories warn that waiving IP protections would undermine critical medical research and development by discouraging investment from U.S. bioscience firms, potentially leaving the world more vulnerable to future pandemics. They reference the development of mRNA technology and Covid-19 treatments as examples of innovation enabled by strong IP frameworks. Furthermore, the letter highlights that American pharmaceutical companies have already entered numerous voluntary licensing agreements, and nearly 100 countries can manufacture generic Covid-19 therapies. The writers contend that logistical challenges, rather than IP constraints, are the main obstacles to broader access in developing regions. Ultimately, the group asserts that expanding the TRIPS waiver would harm the American biotech sector and public health globally, urging the administration to instead address concrete distribution and healthcare infrastructure issues.
