HEALTH campaigners today accused the United States and the European Union of double standards on preparations for the next pandemic, warning that their conduct threatens to “undermine the safety of all humanity in the next health crisis.”

The intervention comes as the world marks four years since the Worlds Health Organisation (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic. 

In that time, rich countries have blocked a proposal to waive intellectual property rules on Covid-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, despite widespread support from low- and middle-income countries, health and trade experts, and civil society organisations. 

The refusal by wealthier nations to co-operate cost approximately 1.3 million lives by the end of 2021, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, it is claimed.

Campaigners say that US President Joe Biden and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have overseen “laudable” proposals to step around intellectual property rules when these prevent the US and the EU from securing access to affordable medicines, but have shown a double standard by stopping lower-income countries from doing the same thing.

The criticism centres on government negotiations at the WHO, where rich countries, including the US and the EU, are opposing measures that would help low and middle-income countries override intellectual property rules and make their own vaccines and medicines in a future health crisis.

In an open letter co-ordinated by the People’s Vaccine Alliance, organisations including Oxfam, The African Alliance, Innovarte and Public Citizen tell President Biden and Ms von der Leyen that “it cannot be one rule for Americans and Europeans and another for everyone else,” urging them to “align your international actions with your commendable domestic policies.”

The campaigners urge the EU and US to support the Pandemic Accord to enable lower-income countries to overcome intellectual property barriers and to make public funding of research and development conditional upon sharing pharmaceutical technology and information with the global South.

EU health policy & advocacy adviser to Oxfam Piotr Kolczynski and the People’s Vaccine Alliance said: “Von der Leyen needs to answer why she thinks low and middle-income countries shouldn’t be allowed to play by the same rules” as the EU and the US.

Health Justice Initiative director Fatima Hassan said: “We cannot allow this deadly imbalance to continue into the next pandemic.” 

Peter Maybarduk, access to medicines director at Public Citizen, said: “The US has uncommon power to help make a strong agreement that protects lives and livelihoods at home and worldwide.”