In the fourth episode of the PRI’s human rights podcast series, Nikolaj Pedersen speaks to biomedical researcher, health rights advocate, and Head of Policy at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, Els Torreele and Peter Hughes, fund manager at AXA Investment Managers about COVID-19 vaccine ownership and distribution and what investors can do to promote fair and equal access.
As of July this year, more than 80% of vaccine doses globally had been given to individuals in high and upper-middle-income countries. Only 1% of people in low-income countries at the time had had at least one dose.
The United Nations commissioner on human rights has stated that "affordable, non-discriminatory access to the vaccine is a human right" and because of the failure to provide fair and equal access to the vaccine the World Health Organisation has stated that the world "is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure".
The economic consequences are also grave with an estimated $9.2 trillion lost if governments fail to ensure that developing economies have access to COVID-19 vaccines
What is wrong with the current research and development system? Why does ownership of IP, know-how and technology matter? And what can investors do?
Listen to this episode as we explore these questions with our esteemed guests.
Find a trascript of this episode here: https://bit.ly/3CqbNhN
Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?
Investors issue urgent call for “fair and equitable” global response to COVID-19: https://accesstomedicinefoundation.org/news/investors-issue-urgent-call-for-fair-and-equitable-global-response-to-covid-19
Study shows vaccine nationalism could cost rich countries US$4.5 trillion: https://iccwbo.org/media-wall/news-speeches/study-shows-vaccine-nationalism-could-cost-rich-countries-us4-5-trillion/
Campaigners warn that 9 out of 10 people in poor countries are set to miss out on COVID-19 vaccine next year: https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/campaigners-warn-9-out-10-people-poor-countries-are-set-miss-out-covid-19-vaccine
In this episode of the PRI podcast, PRI CEO Fiona Reynolds speaks with Jon Lukomink and James P. Hawley, co-authors of the recently published book, Moving Beyond Modern Portfolio Theory: Investing That Matters.
They discuss how finance theory can be reframed to break down the barriers between capital markets and the real world, and the notion that we are in the third stage of corporate governance.
Find a transcript of this episode here: https://bit.ly/3Ef6Ry3
In the seventh podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Sixtine Dubost (PRI) speaks with Madeleine King (Legal & General Investment Management) and Elisabeth Rudman (DBRS Morningstar) about governance factors, how they affect the probability of default of an issuer or of a bond issue and why their relevance is increasing.
Find a transcript of this episode here: