Western countries favoring stronger

WIPO’s ability to navigate modern IP problems remains under scrutiny, with COVID-19 serving as a major test. It expanded its PATENTSCOPE database for COVID-related patents and strengthened the Access to Research for Development and Innovation (ARDI) program, providing developing countries with free or low-cost access to scientific journals. WIPO also sought to mediate between the WTO—backed by pharmaceutical corporations and Western countries favoring stronger IP protections—and the World Health Organization (WHO), led by India and South Africa, pushing for broader vaccine access. The 2022 waiver agreement, providing a “waiver of intellectual property (IP) protections for COVID-19 vaccine patents,” was widely seen as too limited and delayed, reinforcing perceptions that WIPO favored corporate and Western interests, even for generic medicines. “Evergreening,” for example, where pharmaceutical companies make minor modifications to extend patent life and block generic competition, has been a consistent controversy within WIPO. This practice has also raised concerns about aligning IP law with human rights objectives, especially to protect public interests in poorer countries. สล็อต