Patents Cannot Be Blamed for Inequitable Access to COVID-19 Vaccines

ABSTRACT

In view of the inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, several initiatives have been discussed to waive respective patent rights. This article provides a fact-based multinational study on patent rights protecting BioNTech-Pfizer's vaccine BNT162b2. We conclude that although there actually is a vaccine shortage in many countries, patents cannot be blamed as the scapegoat for said situation.