In a decision on Covid-19 vaccine patents, Joe Biden chose humanity
May 5, 2021 5:52 PM Analysis by Stephen Collinson
Posted:
Updated:
May 5, 2021 10:09 PM
President Joe Biden was between a shot and a hard place. In the end, he chose humanity.
The World Health Organization, countries like India and South Africa, and many within Biden’s own Democratic Party have long called for the temporarily loosening of pharmaceutical giants’ patents on Covid-19 vaccines. They argue that private profits should not take precedence over sharing critical knowledge that could save millions of lives. As America’s top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it in an interview with The Hill: “I believe we have a moral obligation … to make sure that the rest of the world does not suffer and die, as it were, from something we can help them with and help them prevent.”
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(CNN) President Joe Biden was between a shot and a hard place. In the end, he chose humanity.
The World Health Organization, countries like India and South Africa, and many within Biden s own Democratic Party have long called for the temporarily loosening of pharmaceutical giants patents on COVID-19 vaccines. They argue that private profits should not take precedence over sharing critical knowledge that could save millions of lives. As America s top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it in an interview with The Hill: I believe we have a moral obligation . to make sure that the rest of the world does not suffer and die, as it were, from something we can help them with and help them prevent.
Dáil discusses intellectual property rights on vaccines
Updated / Wednesday, 28 Apr 2021
17:56
Political Reporter
The Taoiseach has said Ireland will examine in some detail a proposal to waive the intellectual property rights of pharmaceutical companies to allow developing countries to produce more Covid-19 vaccines.
Ahead of discussion on the issue at a meeting of the World Trade Organisation on Friday, Micheál Martin said Ireland will support whatever is the correct policy approach . But he did not go as far as saying what that is.
Mr Martin came under pressure from the Opposition on the issue in the Dáil, with Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats urging him to show moral leadership by taking a position ahead of Friday s meeting.
100 Days: Is Biden Keeping His Promise of Multilateralism
Voice of America
29 Apr 2021, 04:05 GMT+10
WHITE HOUSE - Upon taking office, President Joe Biden pledged to bring multilateralism back to U.S. foreign policy, a pivot from the America First doctrine under President Donald Trump.
Here are some areas where Biden has kept his promise to reengage with the world, and some where he may be holding back.
Climate change
Last week the world witnessed a dramatic foreign policy shift between a president who withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Accord commitments to one who convened a virtual climate summit of 40 world leaders to show that America wants to assert global leadership to slow climate change.
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