Thank you for the question.
It's a bit complicated. On the one hand, I think you're right. If this measure was adopted at the WTO, it would certainly be a signal of support from the underlying member states of the WTO that are engaged in the bilateral and multilateral trade deals that would otherwise apply. Their support would be a signal that they are looking to be more flexible. That signal can be sent in other ways. This is only one of many ways. I agree it would be a signal.
I think the thing that's complicated here is that.... Again, it is my view that the waiver itself does not have much practical value but a campaign around the waiver, the threat of the waiver and the threat of compulsory licensing can motivate good behaviour. In a way, if you actually adopt the waiver, you're then removing that leverage point to some degree. You can have pharma companies saying, “Why should we make the effort to do this? You adopted the waiver. You go do it.”
I think the dynamics there are complicated. It's a leverage point because pharma sees it as a very negative precedent and a source of uncertainty not really related to this particular pandemic but related to the future of the entire industry.