A flawed understanding of the concept of 鈥減ublic good鈥� hampers the fight for equitable access to the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine
The term 鈥済lobal public good鈥� has been used in very different ways by policy makers, economists and others. The term 鈥済lobal鈥� is not particularly controversial, and in this context is generally understood to involve cases where the benefits of the service or good impact residents of more than one country, even if not necessarily the whole world. The term 鈥減ublic good鈥� is subject to more diverse uses, often depending upon one鈥檚 educational or professional training.
For many people, perhaps most, the term 鈥減ublic good鈥� is loosely defined to include cases where governments are willing to undertake measures to expand access, with universal access at least an aspirational goal. However, among the other influential definitions of 鈥減ublic good鈥� is one that is exceptionally restrictive. A proposal by Paul Samuelson first published in 1954, meant at the time as an extreme and polar case, has found its way into countless articles, textbooks and academic courses, and has parameters that are rarely met in practice. At times, Samuelson鈥檚 66-year-old paper is actually an obstacle to collective efforts to supply and distribute goods that have considerable impact on society.
The COVID-19 pandemic presents an astonishing global challenge regarding the control of the pandemic and the reduction of harm. The health impacts are large, particularly for older patients, and growing unpredictably, and the pandemic has had an enormous social and economic impact on everyone, with no obvious end in sight.Read More »
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