Intellectual Property Rights: Affordable Drugs

Debate between Lord Berkeley of Knighton and Lord Grimstone of Boscobel

Monday 30th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Grimstone of Boscobel (Con)]

My noble friend makes an excellent point; without education, these drugs will not reach their full efficacy. We encourage active dialogue between industries and Governments to explore how best to work together and educate the citizens of countries to make the best use of these drugs.

[Lord Berkeley of Knighton (CB) [V]]

My Lords, there is a strong moral imperative in what my noble friend Lord Alton said. When one thinks of the effect drugs and chemicals have had in helping some of the poorest areas in the world with, for example, HIV and malaria, would the Minister not agree that it is important, with the reduction in overseas development aid, that we help these people get these drugs in the same way that we hope we will in this country?

[Lord Grimstone of Boscobel (Con)]

I thank the noble Lord for his point. There are existing mechanisms that facilitate the sharing of intellectual property—for example, the Medicines Patent Pool, which has been so successful with HIV. To follow up on this point, we are committed to identifying whether and how CTAP could add value to the existing infrastructure.