Vaccines have been very prevalent in worldwide debate in the past five years, especially in the midst of the infamous Covid-19 global health crisis. By greatly protecting individuals’ health, vaccines have also shed light on the profound inequities in the access to essential medical technologies. Numerous pharmaceutical companies safeguard their intellectual property (IP), thus limiting the transfer of vaccine technology to lower-income nations. Due to existing IP laws, the populations in these developing nations cannot afford these costly lifesaving medicines. 

MariMUN 2026 will approach the complexity of the interaction between humanitarian needs and the commercial interests in innovation in vaccine technologies. Technology transfers, the pharmaceutical divide between developed and developing countries and gaps in research and development are at the centre of this global health challenge. National responses during pandemics amplified these inequalities even more, as wealthier countries have been shown to hoard vaccine doses.

Delegates will be challenged to think holistically and honour their country’s values towards vital healthcare interventions. Internationally, can we incentivize and support pharmaceutical independence in developing countries, combat brain drains and design more sustainable systems for innovation? The role of AI in this pharmaceutical matter will also be explored; can it decrease costs and expand access, or does it risk deepening existing divisions?