Page 124 - KDU Law Journal Volume 4 Issue 2

KDU Law Journal Volume 04 Issue II
September, 2024
Introduction
‘‘The world needs the vaccine today-not tomorrow-to stop the
disease and end the pandemic․ We need to embrace the access
to medicine-a moment against patent monopoly in life-saving
drugs․’’ 1

In the purview of globalization, everything is on our fingertips
However, microscopic COVID-19 virus was able to control
social, economic and political factors of the world. Globally,
approximately 550 million confirmed cases reported with more than
six million death rate by 2023 June. This is a highly contagious
2
virus, intensely spreads by way of close contacts with an infected
patient without safety precautions. People were not aware about
COVID-19 at the beginning and there was no enough access to
medicines. Conspicuously, Right to Patent imposed restrictions
on the Right to Health. Thus, Right to health and Right to patent
collided restraining the interests of people. This necessitated an
approach to minimize friction and achieve sustainable development
while balancing human rights of the people.
Discussion and Analysis
Health sector was at the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic
but there was an inequality in accessing to health all around
the world. According to the Census report of the World Health
Organization, one third of world population does not have enough
access to medicines. The development of the Roadmap for Access
to Medicines, Vaccines, and Health Products was done in order
to illustrate the work that needs to be done at every stage of the
value chain. These steps include the development of clinical
and epidemiological research, selection procedures, regulatory

1 Xiaodong Yuan, Xiaotao Li, Pledging Patent Rights for Fighting Against the COVID-19:
From the Ethical and Efciency Perspective,( Springer Nature, 17 June 2021) https;//ww-
wright=to=health=and=patent=right=during=covid=19 access on 10 July 2021
th
2 “World Health Organization” 2023 May 11, Weekly epidemiological update on
COVID19 https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-
covid-19---11-may-2023 access on 16th May 2023
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