A Covid Competition Dilemma: Legal and Ethical Challenges Regarding the Covid-19 Vaccine Policies during and after the Crisis
Abstract :
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted multiple facets of our lives and created a number
of legal and ethical dilemmas. One of the greatest challenges at present is the production and
distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Refusing to supply Covid vaccines widely could
affect millions worldwide, and the pandemic may last for a long time. The competition
authorities’ monitoring of the health sector in many countries has been subject to changes in the
current crisis. The question is whether we can force the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers, legally
and ethically, to sell their products and share their information with their competitors.
Furthermore, what are the post-pandemic consequences of policies adopted during the
pandemic? This paper employs a descriptive-analytical method to examine the importance of
competition and intellectual property policies as they relate to Covid-19. It concludes that
instead of focusing on individual rights in a crisis, public rights need to be emphasised. However,
we should not underestimate the post-pandemic consequences of policies adopted during the
Covid-19 pandemic.