Senator Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Sunday, Nov. 22, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should use its clout to prod world leaders to come up with a global price ceiling for COVID-19 vaccines.

Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs, said less developed countries remain at the mercy of global pharmaceutical firms that hold patents and dictate the prices of vaccines.

Therefore, she said, it is imperative that world leaders must agree to put a cap on the price of COVID-19, even a waiver on patents for vaccines, to ensure that less developed nations can gain access to immunization against COVID.

The senator said the ASEAN, of which the Philippines is part of, should use its influence to start a new way of doing business in the manufacture, patenting, pricing and distribution of vaccines for COVID-19 and future pandemics.

She noted that the 10-member ASEAN gained more influence as a trade bloc after signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement last week with five other non-member states including Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.

The ASEAN can initiate a “new normal” for patents and copyrights, a world order of fairness, compassion and commitment to the common good, according to the lawmaker.

“The RCEP represents about a third of the world’s population and global . We need a global accord on COVID-19 vaccines, a standard ceiling on vaccine prices, diversified manufacturing, and supply in all world regions,” Marcos said in a statement.

She also said the ASEAN must hold the group comprising the European Union (EU) and 19 member states to its official statement in March to “spare no effort, both individually and collectively, to protect lives and safeguard people’s jobs and incomes.”

Marcos also said a World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement—Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)—can be invoked to moderate vaccine patents during a global public health emergency.

“Pharmaceutical firms must not forget the priceless role of human participation in vaccine trials. No vaccine could be created without it, so it’s about time they give back to the people of the world,” she stressed.

Five pharmaceutical firms are now racing to complete the four-phase trials for COVID-19 vaccine. American firm Pfizer is leading the pack. Others include US firm Moderna, UK-based Oxford/Astra-Zeneca, China’s Sinovac Biotech, and Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute.

“Pfizer already made a killing on Viagra. Let’s hope the race to come up with a vaccine is guided mainly by the concern to save as many lives rather than to make as much profit as possible,” she said.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Cluster, headed by Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said the country’s COVID-19 vaccination could begin by May 2021, barring any unforeseen issues.

According to Galvez, the government is targeting to procure an initial 24 million vaccines as President Duterte has expressed his desire to make COVID-19 vaccines accessible to the poor.

The Senate, according to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, is also pouring more funds for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines under the proposed P4.506-trillion national budget.