Right to life should prevail over rights of patent holders: NHRC chief

The right to life should prevail over the rights of patent holders to ensure that the scarcity of the life-saving drugs, medicines and vaccines related to Covid is overcome the world over and they are made available to poor at "affordable prices", the NHRC chief said on Tuesday. Justice (retd) Arun Mishra, chairperson, National Human Rights Commission said this during his address, during an online global meeting of Human Rights Council (HRC), officials said.

He was addressing a session on states' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHRC said in a statement.

"The world is facing the colossal loss caused by COVID-19. New challenges have emerged for protecting the life and livelihoods of the marginalised sections of the society, education has suffered, healthcare infrastructure fell short, families left destitute and children orphaned," he was quoted as saying in the statement.


He said the NHRC through its various interventions including advisories, has been trying to sensitise the systems of governance to deal with such an unprecedented situation. Even the dignity of the dead had to be taken care of by the NHRC, he said.

"The right to life should prevail over the rights of patent holders to ensure that the scarcity of the life-saving drugs, medicines and vaccines related to COVID-19 is overcome the world over and are made available to poor at affordable prices," the rights panel chief said.

In his brief speech, the NHRC chairperson touched upon several key issues and expressed concern how these were impacting human rights.

These included, among others, online commerce, which he said, has "concentrated wealth in fewer hands".

He also referred to the challenges of cross-border terrorism and how the "rehabilitation of its victims and drug peddling is lurking at large".

While cherishing the freedom of cyberspace, justice Mishra cautioned that it should not to be "misused to subvert the constitutional values".

Highlighting that environmental issues are endangering human existence, he said, "We have to unite to protect the planet earth for the next generation. We cannot afford to fail, stop or fear. We have to resolve a 'New Declaration' to take care of the unprecedented situation".