Greece Proposes Joint EU Purchase Of Patents For COVID-19 Vaccine, Rapid Test

ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2020) Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday in an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper that he backed the proposal of Ilias Mosialos, the government's representative to international organizations in issues relating to COVID-19, to the EU on the joint purchase of patent rights for new vaccines and rapid tests for the detection of the coronavirus in a bid to contribute to the early spread of antiviral drugs.

According to Mosialos, such countries as Spain and Italy, where tests are urgently needed, cannot currently conduct the research needed to develop the vaccine, and they may be left behind. If patent rights for tests and vaccines were purchased, it would be possible to organize their production in many places across Europe and, thus, ensure their wide distribution, Mosialos said, adding that the joint purchase of patent rights would be a public good that could be passed on at no extra cost.

"To solve this problem, European governments could encourage vaccine manufacturers by buying their patents right at reasonable prices," Mitsotaki said, adding that ideally, once proven effective, such vaccines should be distributed as quickly and fairly as possible.

As of now, at least 20 COVID-19 vaccines are being developed, and many of them are subsidized by individual governments or charities, the prime minister noted.

As for Greece, the health authorities have detected so far 1,735 cases of the disease in the country and 73 related fatalities.