The Evolution Of International Medicine Access Institution From The Perspective Of Historical Institutionalism

The International Medicine Access Institution has undergone a core value transformation from "patent rights" to "right to health".This thesis argues that the AIDS epidemic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic crisis have contributed to this transformation in international norms.In order to maintain their own domestic public health security,developing countries are actively promoting normative transformation in the International Medicine Access Institution.During the stage of the AIDS epidemic crisis,developing countries first proposed the idea to respect the human rights and right to health related to the availability of medicines,and it was consolidated and strengthened in the stage of COVID-19 pandemic crisis.The "right to health" has become a guiding norm for International Medicine Access Institution.The rules of International Medicine Access Institution have gradually begun to be adjusted under the guidance of the "right to health" norm.From the clarification and improvement of the flexible clauses of the Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS),to the establishment of the systems to promote medicine accessibility represented by the Medicines Patent Pool,the International Medicine Access Institution has gradually brought good news for the contagious diseases patients in low-and middle-income countries.However,this study found that developed countries,as the framers and organizers of the institution,still always favor the interests of developed countries and large multinational pharmaceutical companies in the design and implementation of some rules.The unavoidable lock-in in the development of institution has directly led to the limitation,lag and imbalance.The global AIDS treatment plan has not been completed on schedule many times,and the COVID-19 vaccine distribution has encountered great challenges,which all reflect the irrationality of the International Medicine Access Institution rules.The new International Medicine Access Institution represented by the Medicines Patent Pool is the key to improving global medicine accessibility.How to better balance the relationship between intellectual property rights and the right to health is a question that the international community should continue to think about.