The mRNA hub in South Africa is making history by reclaiming the mRNA technology from big pharma.
Tell Moderna to drop its patents and let the hub research and share its work with the world.
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South Africa’s mRNA hub is a beacon of hope in a broken pharma system. This remarkable project has reverse-engineered Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine and is already sharing their knowledge and technology with middle and low-income countries to shift the balance of power and redraw the map of who gets access to medicines.
But the success of the mRNA hub is under threat. Despite statements that Moderna won’t enforce patents on its vaccine, they are prepared to step in and block the hub’s work as soon as the hub’s success threatens their profits through scaling up of manufacturing or applying the technology to other health concerns.
We know they can do it – the pharmaceutical industry has been briefing against and trying to undermine the hub project since the beginning. Moderna in particular is very aware of the huge potential for mRNA in other health areas and is therefore resorting to legal action against Pfizer over the technology. We have to make sure that the scientific progress the public funded is wrestled out of Moderna’s control and is available to the world.
Join us in demanding that Moderna share the technology now and allow the mRNA hub to continue their work without barriers!
Photo: Alfonso Andrew Stoffels