COVID-19 Diagnostics and Therapeutics: Supply, Demand, and TRIPS Agreement Flexibilities
ISER’s Allana Kembabazi testimony presented before the United States International Trade Commission Hearing on extending the TRIPs Waiver to Cover 19 Diagnostics and Technologies. ISER has been an active member of a coalition of human rights advocates and lawyers who have been drawing attention to the manner in which a failure to take all measures to ensure broad global access to and democratic production of COVID-19 healthcare technologies – not only vaccines but also testing and treatment products – constitutes a violation of states’ obligations under human rights treaties they have ratified. In that capacity, ISER served as a petitioner in an urgent action petition to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination submitted in spring of 2022, which prompted the Committee to issue a statement urging states-parties, including the United States, to support a TRIPS waiver as to vaccines, testing and treatment among other measures, in order to fulfill its obligation to take measures to prevent and address racial discrimination and disparities in access. ISER thus serves as a critical voice representing those who have been impacted by inequitable access to life-saving products that would help not only Uganda but the African continent curb the deadly and socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic