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Pressure has been building in Washington to waive patent protection for Covid vaccines.Credit.Saul Loeb/Agence France-Presse Getty Images
The U.S. opens up on vaccine patents
The Biden administration reversed course yesterday and came out in favor of suspending patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines. The move pits policymakers against drug companies, as infections in India, South America and elsewhere spiral, highlighting the urgency of more widespread vaccination.
Support for patent waivers has been growing, ever since India and South Africa introduced a measure at the World Trade Organization in October to suspend I.P. protections. Democrats and health activists argue that the move could lead to a surge in sorely needed doses: “This is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs right now,” said Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
U S Backs Waiving Intellectual Property Rules On Vaccines wccbcharlotte.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wccbcharlotte.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In a break from longstanding US policy, President Joe Biden’s administration has backed a proposal that would temporarily lift intellectual property (IP) rights for COVID-19 vaccines.
The “monumental” decision, as described by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief, raised hopes for developing nations struggling with vaccine supply but was met with anger from the pharmaceutical industry.
If approved, the waiver would theoretically allow drugmakers around the world to produce coronavirus jabs without the risk of being sued for breaking IP rules. Lengthy negotiations are expected before a consensus can be reached at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Here is all you need to know.
associated press
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In this April 8 photo, a Northwell Health registered nurses fills a syringe with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccination site at the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in the Staten Island borough of New York. The Biden administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the U.S. alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
WASHINGTON – The Biden administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the U.S. alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy.
US backs waiving intellectual property rules on vaccines - World News castanet.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from castanet.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.