On Tuesday, Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and other Indian agencies submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) seeking extended mutatis mutandi permission to produce and distribute COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics.

In the meeting held on Tuesday, India, South Africa, and 80 other countries pitched for a global patent waiver on the COVID-19 diagnostic and therapeutic device for 5 years. India pointed out that the waiver deal offered for the intellectual property rights for vaccines should be extended to therapeutics and diagnostics.

Previously, on June 17, at the WTOs 12th Ministerial Conference, it was decided that the member would decide the possible course of action for the extension of the waiver towards the production and supply of COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics within six months.