Important international initiative by 230 organizations: end vaccine patents!

We publish a call signed by 230 social organizations in many countries, calling for the abolition of the practice of patenting vaccines and medicines in the wake of the pandemic. The text calls for, among other things, the “the expropriation and socialization under popular control of the private pharmaceutical industry as a basis for a universal public health system” and “Increased public investment and budgets for public health and community care policies”.

The possibility of a much more immediate response to the pandemic, which is stopped by the refusal of the pharmaceutical companies to open up patents in order to ensure their profits, is outrageous. That is why it is important that the demands of this call (despite any disagreements that may exist on some issues) are widely spread!

End the system of private patents!

For a pharmaceutical industry under popular control and a free, universal and public vaccination system.

18 May 2021

Thanks to a huge scientific effort based on international collaboration and historic amounts of public money, humanity has been able to develop several effective vaccines against Covid-19 in less than a year.

However, this great achievement could be totally overshadowed by the greed of the pharmaceutical industry. In a situation as critical as the present, the exceptional nature of the measures demanded from the majority of the population must also apply to the private pharmaceutical industry and its permanent thirst for profit. The suspension of the Covid-19 vaccine patents must be a priority and a first step.

But we cannot stop there. Initiatives such as COVAX or C-TAP have failed miserably, not only because of their inadequacy, but above all because they reflect the failure of the current system of global governance in which rich countries and multinationals, often in the form of foundations, seek to reshape the world order to their liking. Philanthropy and burgeoning public-private initiatives are not the answer. They are even less so in the face of today’s global challenges in a world dominated by states and industries driven solely by market forces and seeking maximum profits.

The health crisis is far from being resolved. The capitalist system and neoliberal policies have been at the helm at all stages. At the root of this virus is the unbridled transformation of the relationship between the human species and nature. The ecological and health crises are intimately intertwined. The same predatory neoliberal logic has exacerbated the consequences of both by applying, to the crises, private and competitive principles of management policy. The result is much more inequality, much more suffering and many more deaths in the name of the interests of a privileged few.

The pandemic has accelerated and deepened dangerous trends, social gaps and multidimensional phenomena that we have been observing for decades and in which the working classes, especially women and racialized people, suffer most. Women make up the majority of the health workers who have been on the front line in the pandemic, but also of those preserving life in the face of cuts to public services and social rights, of which they are the first victims.

Good health, access to health care and to vaccinations are universal human rights. Vaccines therefore should be considered a global public good. To ensure their universal accessibility, it is necessary and urgent to suspend the patents. This measure must be accompanied by mechanisms for the nationalization of private pharmaceutical industries and a strong investment in the development of public pharmaceutical industries in all countries. Decisive action is needed to enable public planning of vaccine production and distribution, developing local production capacity where possible and complementing it with binding international solidarity in other cases.

Just as viruses have no borders, the fight against them must have none. Health chauvinism is another face of the reactionary preference trend that is sweeping the world. The peoples of the South must have access to vaccines on an equal footing with the rest of the world’s inhabitants. We welcome efforts made by Cuba to develop vaccines and treatments against the pandemic with the aim of making the results available to humanity. Global challenges such as a pandemic require appropriate global responses.

The corporate economy, blind faith in the market and the pursuit of profit have proven to be incompatible with the well-being of Humanity. Health is not a commodity. Economic recovery cannot be at the expense of health or the rights of the majority. We must choose: capital or life. We must act quickly and forcefully, create a global strategy of equal access and universal guarantee to high quality health care.

For all these reasons, we demand :

• The suspension of private patents on all technologies, knowledge, treatments and vaccines related to Covid-19.
• The elimination of trade secrets and the publication of information on the production costs and public investments used, in a clear and publicly accessible manner.
• Transparency and public scrutiny at all stages of vaccine development.
• Universal, free and open access to vaccination and treatment.
• The expropriation and socialization under popular control of the private pharmaceutical industry as a basis for a universal public health system that promotes the production of generic treatments and medicines.
• Increased public investment and budgets for public health and community care policies, including more staff, higher salaries and improved working conditions in these sectors.
• The introduction of taxes on wealth (wealth and income of the richest 1%) to finance the effort against the pandemic and to ensure a socially just and ecologically sustainable exit from the various crises of global capitalism.
• The suspension of debt payments for the duration of the pandemic and the cancellation of illegitimate debts and those contracted to finance the fight against the virus.

List of signatories

Intercontinental organisations:

1. www.cadtm.org (CADTM) international network;
2. Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate power and Stop Impunity;
3. Global/Glocal Network for Quality Education Red global/Glocal por la calidad educativa;
4. International Association of Health Policy (IAHP);
5. International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA);
6. Labour Network of Solidarity and Struggles;
7. People’s Dialogue (south-south network);
8. People’s Health Movement (PHM);
9. The Agora of the Inhabitants of the Earth;
10. Transnational Institute;
11. World Social Forum Reflection Group;
12. World March of Women 

Europe:

International organisations

1. CADTM Europe (Belgium, France, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg & Switzerland
2. European Network against Commercialisation of Health and Social Protection 

Austria:

1. Active Unemployed Austria Aktive Arbeitslose 
2. Latin America Information Group Informationsgruppe Lateinamerika 
3. Institute for Intercultural Research and Cooperation 
4. Zéro covid

Belgium:

1. A CONTRE-COURANT 
2. ATTAC Wallonia-Brussels 
3. CADTM Belgium 
4. CEPAG 
5. CETRI – Centre tricontinental, Belgique, 
6. Cultural Presence and Action Présence et Action Culturelles 
7. Forum North South Forum Nord-Sud
8. Fonds Ernest Mandel (Belgique) 
9. Formation Léon Lesoil (Belgique) 
10. General Labour Federation of Belgium Wallonia Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique(FGTB) wallonne 
11. Health & Solidarity Action Platform Plateforme d’Action Santé & Solidarité 
12. National Employees’ Centre Centrale Nationale des Employés (CNE-CSC) 
13. Struggle for health La Santé en Lutte 
14. Walloon Anti-Poverty Network (RWLP) Réseau wallon de lutte contre la pauvreté

Bosnia-Herzegovina:

1. Association for Culture and Art CRVENA in Sarajevo 

Czech Republic:

1. Prague Spring 2 – Network against right wing extremism and populism

England:

1. Zéro Covid (England & Wales) 

France:

1. AITEC;
2. Appel Brevets sur les vaccins anti-covid, stop. Réquisition!;
3. Association for Employment, Information and Solidarity (APEIS) Association pour l’emploi l’information et la solidarité;
4. Association INDECOSA-CGT;
5. Citizens’ Science Association Association Sciences Citoyennes;
6. ATTAC;
7. Cedetim;
8. Cerises la coopérative ceriseslacooperative.info
9. CGT Sanofi 
10. Collective of employees in Anti-Sanofric struggle Collectif des salariés en lutte Anti-Sanofric;
11. Copernicus Foundation Fondation Copernic 
12. Democratic Kurd council in France Conseil démocratique kurde en France (anciennement: Fédération des Associations Kurdes en France);
13. Emergency Workers Collective Collectif Inter-Urgences;
14. Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
15. Fédération SUD chimie -Solidaire, unitaire et démocratique;
16. France Amérique Latine (FAL);
17. Health is a right for all La santé un droit pour tous 
18. Henri Pézerat Association(health, work, environment) Association Henri Pézerat (santé, travail, environnement);
19. Ipam;
20. Medicines Common Good Médicament Bien Commun;
21. National Coordination of Committees for the Defence of Local Hospitals and Maternities Coordination Nationale des comités de défense des hôpitaux et maternités de proximité 
22. National convergence of collectives for the defence and development of public service Convergence nationale des collectifs de défense et de développement des services publics;
23. Observatory of Transparency in Medicines Policies (OTMeds) Observatoire de la Transparence dans les politiques du médicaments;
24. “Our Health in Danger” Collective Collectif « Notre Santé en Danger »;
25. People’s Health Movement France;
26. Revue Inprecor;
27. Social Resistance Résistance Sociale 
28. Sud santé-sociaux;
29. The University of the Common Good of Paris L’Université du Bien Commun de Paris;
30. Union Syndicale de la Psychiatrie;
31. Union of General Medicine Syndicat de la Médecine Générale;
32. Union syndicale Solidaire;
33. WOS/agence des hypothèses;
34. Zero Covid Solidaire;

Germany:

1. Association of Democratic Doctors Germany 
2. LabourNet
3. Socialist Newspaper Sozialistische Zeitung 
4. Zukunftskonvent
5. Zéro covid

Greece:

1. Expel Racism Initiative;
2. Initiative of Healthcare Workers for a Public Health – People’s Right – Social Good Πρωτοβουλία Υγειονομικών για μία Δημόσια Υγεία – λαϊκό δικαίωμα – κοινωνικό αγαθό;
3. Naturefriends Greece;
4. Solidarity for All (Athens Greece);
5. Sunday Immigrants School;
6. tomov.gr (TO MOV) Οργάνωση Γυναικείων Δικαιωμάτων ΤΟV 

Hungary:

1. ATTAC Hungary 

Ireland:

1. Campaign for an All Ireland National Health Service 

Italy:

1. ATTAC Italy 
2. CADTM Italy 

Portugal:

1. Amílcar Cabral Development Intervention Centre (CIDAC) www.cidac.pt 

Slovenia

1. Institut Mirovni (Slovenia)

Spain:

1. Andalusian Workers Union Sindicato Andaluz de Trabajadores/as (SAT);
2. ATTAC Spain;
3. Audit of the Health Care Debt (Health debt) Auditoria de la Deuda en Sanidad (Audita Sanidad);
4. Basque Workers Solidarity (ELA) Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna;
5. Citizen’s Audit Platform on Debt Plataforma Auditoría Ciudadana de la Deuda;
6. Coordination Against the Privatisation of Health Care Coordinadora Antiprivatizacion de la Sanidad 
7. Ecologists in Action Ecologistas en Acción;
8. Galician Inter-Union Confederation Confederación Intersindical Galega (CIG);
9. Health Workers’ Assembly Movement Movimiento Asambleario de Trabajador@s de Sanidad (MATS);
10. Inter-Union Confederation La Confederación Intersindical 
11. Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak Workers Union (LAB) Basque country 
12. Multinational Observatory in Latin America Observatorio de Multinacionales en América Latina (OMAL);
13. Navarra Health Platform Plataforma Navarra de Salud /Nafarroako Osasun Plataforma 
14. Valencian Union Confederation Intersindical Valenciana (País Valencià) 

Switzerland:

1. CETIM 
2. MultiWatch 
3. World March of Women
4. Zéro covid

Africa

International organisations:

1. African Alliance WoMin;
2. CADTM Afrique;
3. North African Network for Food Sovereignty;
4. Pan African Association for literacy and Adult Education;
5. Rural Women’s Assembly Southern Africa 

Democratic Republic of Congo:

1. CADTM Lubumbashi

Kenya:

1. www.kenyanpeasantsleague.org 
2. Kenya Debt Abolition Network

Morocco:

1. Moroccan Association for Human Rights Association marocaine des droits humains (AMDH);
2. ATTAC CADTM Morocco;
3. Democratic labour organisation Organisation démocratique du travail
4. Moroccan Network for the Defence of the Right to Health and the Right to Life Réseau marocain pour la défense du droit à la santé et droit à la vie
5. Southern Alternatives Forum Forum des alternatives Sud 

Senegal:

1. Pan African Education for Sustainable Development NGO (PAEDD) La Panafricaine pour l’Education au Développement Durable ONG ongpaedd.org;
2. Pan-African Youth Organisation Organisation des Jeunesses Panafricanistes;
3. Senegalese Social Forum Forum social sénégalais

Tunisia:

1. Al Warcha Media Association for Economic and Social Rights Association Al Warcha médiatique pour les droits économiques et sociaux;
2. Tunisian Women’s Association for Research on Development (AFTURD) Association des Femmes Tunisiennes pour la Recherche sur le Développement
3. Tunisian Observatory of the Economy Observatoire Tunisien de l’économie 

South Africa:

1. AIDC 
2. The People’s Vaccine Campaign

Americas

International organisations:

1. ALBA MOVIMIENTOS;
2. Central American Network of Popular Education, Red Alforja 
3. CADTM-Abya Yala Notre Amérique (CADTM-AYNA);
4. Council for Popular Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (CEAAL) Consejo de Educación Popular de América Latina y el Caribe;
5. Jubilee South Americas
6. Latin American and Caribbean Society for Political Economy and Critical Thinking (SEPLA) Sociedad Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Economía Política y Pensamiento Crítico;
7. Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), Steering Committee Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales, Comité Directivo 
8. Latin American Network for Access to Medicines (RedLAM), www.redlam.org (Argentina, Brasil, Peru and Colombia) 
9. Our America Trade Union Forum (ESNA), Encuentro Sindical Nuestra América 

Argentina:

1. ATTAC – Argentina;
2. Argentine Workers’ Central Union Central de Trabajadores Autónoma regional CTA-A Rosario;
3. Cooperative of Popular Educators and Researchers – Historic (CEIP-H) Cooperativa de Educadores e Investigadores Populares Histórica, Argentina;
4. Corriente Sindical Carlos Chile (Argentina);
5. Darío Santillán Popular Front Frente Popular Darío Santillán;
6. Front of Organisations in Struggle (FOL) Frente de Organizaciones en Lucha;
7. Fundación GEP (Argentina);
8. Health Institute Patria Salud Instituto Patria;
9. Movement for Latin American Unity and Change Movimiento por la Unidad Latinoamericana y el Cambio Social  / Movimiento 8 de Abril)
10. National Federation of University Teachers (CONADU)-Historic, Argentina Federación Nacional de Docentes Universitarios – Historica de Argentina
11. People’s Movement: For a Feminist Socialism from Below Movimiento de los Pueblos: Por un socialismo feminista desde abajo (Frente Popular Darío Santillán – Corriente Plurinacional / Izquierda Latinoamericana Socialista;
12. Santa Fe Teachers’ Association Asciación del Magisterio Santa Fe – Delegación Rosario;
13. Sindicato ADEMYS;
14. SUTEBA de El Tigre

Bolivia:

1. Confederation of Urban Education Workers of Bolivia CTEUB Confederación de Trabajadores de Educación Urbana de Bolivia

Brazil:

1. ECCE Union of Education Professionals;
2. Homa – Human Rights and Business centre Homa-Centro de Direitos Humanos e Empresas;
3. National Association for Higher Education (ANDES) Sindicato Nacional dos Docentes das Instituições de Ensino Superior;
4. São Paulo Teachers’ Union
5. São Paulo State Teachers’ Union – Ourinhos;
6. São Paulo State Teachers’ Union – São Paulo;
7. São Paulo State Education Teachers’ Union – Litoral Sul;
8. São Paulo State Teachers’ Union of Official Education – Osasco;
9. The National Union of Federal Servers of Basic, Professional and Technological Education (SINASEFE);
10. Union of Education Teachers of the State of São Paulo – Salto;
11. Union of Technical and Administrative Workers of UFRN and UFERSA;
12. Union of Bank Employees and Financiers of Bauru;
13. Union of Teachers of Official Public Education of the State of São Paulo – São Bernardo do Campo;
14. Union of Teachers of São Paulo State Official Public Education Union – Sumaré
15. Vinhedo Employees’ Union

Canada:

1. Quebec Network on Continental Integration (RQIC) Réseau québécois sur l’intégration continentale 

Chile:

1. National Federation of Associations of University Officials of the University of Chile (FENAFUCH) Federación Nacional de Asociaciones de Funcionarios de la Universidad de Chile

Colombia:

1. Colombian Platform for the Audit of the Public Debt and the Recovery of the Commons Plataforma Colombiana por la Auditoría de la Deuda Pública y la Recuperación de los Bienes Comunes;
2. Grupo Kavilando Medellin Colombia;
3. Inter-University Network for Peace (REDIPAZ) Red Interuniversitaria por la Paz;
4. Latin American Autonomous University, Socio-legal Research Centre of Colombia Universidad Autónoma Latinoamericana, Centro de Investigaciones Socio jurídicas de Colombia;
5. National Federation of Colombian Bank Workers Unions (FENASIBANCOL) Federación Nacional de Sindicatos Bancarios Colombianos;
6. National Union of Bank Employees (UNEB);
7. Research Group University de San Buenaventura Medellin (GIDPAD) Grupo de Investigación Universidad de San Buenaventura Medellín

Costa Rica:

1. Association of Secondary Education Teachers (APSE) Asociación de Profesores de Educación Secundaria

Ecuador:

1. National Union of Educators (UNE) Unión Nacional de Educadores;
2. Platform “It’s worth of you Ecuador” 

El Salvador:

1. Alforja network Red Alforja 

Haiti:

1. Haitian Advocacy Platform for Alternative Development (PAPDA) – Plataforma Haitiana de Defensa para el Desarrollo Alternativo. 

Honduras:

1. COPINH Honduras

Mexico:

1. Autonomous Movement for Community Emancipation (MAECC) of Oaxaca Movimiento Autónomo por Emancipación Comunitaria de Oaxaca;
2. Confederation of Retired, Pensioned and Older Persons (CONJUPAM) Confederación de Jubilados, Pensionados y Adultos Mayores;
3. Executive Committee, Section 9 Democracy (SNTE-CNTE) Comité Ejecutivo Sección 9 Democrática SNTE-CNTE
4. Mexican Plural Pedagogic Collective Colectivo Plural Pedagógico Mexicano Kaichuk Mat Dha, Durango
5. Mexican Union of Electricians Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas;
6. Mujer, Pueblo – Magisterio. Cnte Durango Mexico;
7. National Assembly of Electrical Energy Users (ANUEE) Asamblea Nacional de Usuarios de la Energía Eĺectrica;
8. National Coordinating Committee of Users in Resistance (CONUR) Coordinadora Nacional de Usuarios y Usuarias en Resistencia
9. New Workers’ Centre Nueva Central de Trabajadores 
10. Workers Union of Higher Media Education Institute of CDMX (SITRAIEMS) Sindicato de Trabajadores del Instituto de Educación Media Superior de la CDMX

Panama:

1. Association of Educators of Veraguenses of the Republic of Panama Asociación de Educadores Veraguenses de República de Panamá
2. Critical Mass Panama Masa Crítica Panamá
3. Teachers’ Association of the Republic of Panama (ASOPROF) Asociación de Profesores de la República de Panamá

Peru:

1. Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis-Gtanw Nation Gobierno Territorial Autónomo de la Nación Wampis-Gtanw;
2. Unified Union of Education Workers of Peru (SUTEP)

Puerto Rico:

1. Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico (FMPR) Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico
2. University of Puerto Rico Teachers Association Asociación de Profesores de la Universidad de Puerto Rico

United States of America:

1. New York Communities for Change 

Uruguay:

1. Marcosur Feminist Articulation (AFM) 
2. Plataforma Descam
3. International Network of University Professors and Academics on the State of the Public Debt Red Internacional de Cátedras Instituciones y Personalidades sobre el estado de la Deuda Pública

Venezuela:

1. Centre for Research and Border Studies Centro de Investigación y Estudios Fronterizos
2. International Observatory on Educational Reforms and Teacher Policies (OIREPOD) Observatorio Internacional de Reformas Educativas y Políticas Docentes
3. International Research Centre other voices in Education (CII-OVE) www.otrasvoceseneducacion.org 
4. Popular Training School Our America (EFPNA) Escuela de Formación Popular Nuestra América
5. Venezuelan Forum for the Right to Education Foro venezolano por el derecho a la educación

Asia

International Organisations:

1. Focus on the Global South 
2. Health Action International Asia Pacific (HAIAP), Regional organisation – virtual HQ – Penang Malaysia;
3. International Network for a Human Economy Asia (RIEH);
4. NGO Forum on ADB;
5. SAAPE South Asia
6. World March of Women, Asia

Bangladesh:

1. Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED);
2. CLEAN (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network)

India:

1. Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development;
2. Collective for Economic Justice;
3. Growthwatch (India);
4. Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF);
5. Karavali Karnataka Janabhivriddhi Vedike;
6. Nadi Ghati Morcha;
7. People’s Alliance of Central-East India (PACE-India);
8. Prantojon;
9. Progressive Plantation Workers Union (PPWU);
10. Tamil Nadu Land Rights Federation (TNLRF) 

Japan:

1. ATTAC Japan

Pakistan:

1. Haqooq Khalq Movement Pakistan
2. Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee 

Philippines:

1. Alternative Budget Initiative-Health Cluster, Social Watch Philippines
2. DIGNIDAD Movement
3. Sentro ng mga Progresibo at Nagkakaisang Manggagawa –SENTRO– (Philippines) 
4. WomanHealth Philippines 

South Korea

1. KPDS (Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society), Korea 
2. People’s Health Movement, South Korea

Sri Lanka:

1. All Employees Union of Information and Telecommunication (AEUIT)
2. Ceylon Estate Staffs Union (CESU);
3. Liberation Movement;
4. Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform;
5. Movement for Nature Farming and Indigenous Livestock Farming;
6. www.nafso-online.org;
7. People’s Alliance for Right to Land –PARL-, Sri Lanka;
8. Progressive Women’s Collective;
9. Protect Union;
10. Sri Lanka All Telecommunication Employees Union SLATEU;
11. Telecommunication Engineering Diplomates’ Union (TEDA);
12. United Federation of Labour (UFL)