US Noncommittal on Vaccine Patents Waiver May 06, 2021 A health worker inoculates a man with the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine on the outskirts of Kathmandu on March 7, 2021. (Photo by Prakash MATHEMA / AFP) Share share Print Amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in India and other parts of the world, the United States remains noncommittal on an October 2020 proposal by India and South Africa to waive certain provisions of the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The proposal would loosen patent restrictions so that countries can manufacture generic versions of the coronavirus vaccines. "We are working with our global partners to explore pragmatic and effective steps to surge production and equitable distribution of vaccines," a United States Trade Representative (USTR) official told VOA.