Global justice theorists have widely discussed how the international intellectual property rights regime (i.e., the TRIPs regime of the World Trade Organization) makes it more difficult to achieve the goal of universal access to generic (and more affordable) vital COVID-19 treatments (including potential COVID-19 vaccines). This article argues that while patents can impose certain barriers to universal access to generic COVID-19 treatments, the TRIPs regime itself is an integral part of an equitable global solution to the pandemic. More specifically, it argues that article 31bis of the TRIPs, in allowing for a cooperation strategy predicated on complementary importing and exporting of vital COVID-19 generic treatments, is key for successful pandemic suppression. By providing a normative interpretative analysis of article 31bis in light of the ethical requirements of global justice, and by responding to possible objections to its core argument, this article substantiates the ideal of multilateral solidarity among nations. In times of crisis—not only a crisis of global public health, but also a crisis of multilateralism—this complementary cooperation strategy that article 31bis allows for shows a way forward in upholding the global common good that the international legal order seeks to safeguard.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 大流行中的知识产权和基本药物

全球正义理论家广泛讨论了国际知识产权制度（即世界贸易组织的 TRIPs 制度）如何使普遍获得通用（且更负担得起）的重要 COVID-19 治疗（包括潜在的 COVID-19 疫苗）。本文认为，虽然专利可以对普遍获得通用 COVID-19 治疗设置某些障碍，但 TRIPs 制度本身是全球公平解决这一流行病的一个组成部分。更具体地说，它认为，TRIPs 第 31 条之二允许基于重要 COVID-19 非专利治疗的互补进出口的合作战略，是成功抑制大流行的关键。通过根据全球正义的伦理要求对第 31 条之二进行规范性解释分析，并回应对其核心论点的可能反对意见，本文证实了国家间多边团结的理想。在危机时期——不仅是全球公共卫生危机，而且是多边主义危机——第 31 条之二允许的这种互补合作战略为维护国际法律秩序寻求维护的全球共同利益指明了前进的方向。