THE STANDARD
AMERICA
A nurse vaccinates a person with the Astra-Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]
Activists cheered, Big Pharma complained and government leaders assessed the next steps yesterday after the Biden administration’s blockbuster move to support an easing of patent and other protections on Covid-19 vaccines that many hope will help poorer countries get more doses and speed the end of the pandemic.
The move to support waiving intellectual property protections on vaccines under World Trade Organisation rules marked a dramatic shift for the United States, which had previously lined up with many other developed nations opposed to the idea floated by India and South Africa.
More Support Easing Vaccine Patent Rules, But Problems Remain
May 06, 2021
Vials of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines are pictured in a General practitioners practice in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2021.
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France joined the United States on Thursday in support of easing
patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines. The action could help poorer countries get more shots and quicken the end of the pandemic.
On Wednesday, the U.S. government changed its own position and supported removing the protections. It brought cheers from health activists and complaints from drug companies.
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US President Joe Biden s administration on Wednesday announced support for a global waiver on patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, offering hope to poor nations that have struggled to access the life-saving doses.
India, where the death toll hit a new daily record amid fears the peak is still to come, has been leading the fight within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to allow more drugmakers to manufacture the vaccines - a move pharma giants opposed.
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that while intellectual property rights for businesses are important, Washington supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines in order to end the pandemic.
Updates with Ursula von der Leyen comments
In a major shift on intellectual property rights, the US administration has backed lifting patents of COVID-19 vaccines in order to speed up vaccination of those in need worldwide. Europe had been reluctant about this option but EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday that Europe is now exploring this option.
“This is a global health crisis and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures. The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement.
United States backs plan to waive Covid-19 vaccine patents
Biden had been under intense pressure to waive protections for vaccine manufacturers, especially amid criticism that rich nations were hoarding shots.
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WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden s administration on Wednesday announced support for a global waiver on patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines, offering hope to poor nations that have struggled to access the life-saving doses.
India, where the death toll hit a new daily record amid fears the peak is still to come, has been leading the fight within the World Trade Organization (WTO) to allow more drugmakers to manufacture the vaccines a move pharma giants oppose.