A COVID-19 vaccine promises to tame a pandemic that has sickened more than 10 million people around the world, left millions without work, and cost national economies trillions of dollars. How can we ensure that a new vaccine is not priced so high poor countries and marginalized populations are left behind? On Thursday, July 16 at 11:00am ET, join the Aspen Global Innovators Group to hear about the urgent need for an accessible, widespread vaccine to effectively combat COVID-19. The conversation will feature Safura Abdool Karim, Aspen New Voices Fellow and public health lawyer, and Priti Krishte, a veteran of the global access to medicines movement. It will be moderated by Dr. Gavin Yamey, the Director of the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health at the Duke Global Health Institute.
Speakers:
Safura Abdool Karim
, Senior Researcher, PRICELESSS SA
Safura grew up during South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy, on the frontlines of the country’s fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Inspired by the courtroom battles for the right to AIDS treatment that were won by activists, she went on to obtain a law degree from the University of Cape Town and a Masters in Global Health Law from Georgetown School of Law. After clerking at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, she now undertakes research on and advocates for legal strategies to fight Africa’s epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at PRICELESS SA, using a rights-based approach forged during the height of the AIDS crisis.
Pritti Krishtel, Founder, I-MAK
Pritti Krishtel is a lawyer and veteran of the global access to medicines movement. In 2006 she co-founded I-MAK, a team of “patent detectives” who expose and challenge how the patent system fuels inequitable access to medicines. After working globally over the last two decades, she is now focused on cracking open the black box that is the U.S. patent office and helping Americans understand how intimately the patent system affects their lives. Krishtel envisions a future in which the patent system better serves the public, no one struggles to access the medicines they need, and people can actively participate in decisions that impact their health.
