US backs India’s proposal to waive vaccine rights

Biden administration says ‘will actively participate and make it happen’ at WTO, India says it appreciates support

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: The Biden administration on Wednesday announced the US will support temporary waiver of intellectual property rights to Covid-19 vaccines, accepting a key element of a joint proposal by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organization (WTO), and said it will “actively participate” in negotiations to “make that happen”.

India on Thursday welcomed US President Joe Biden’s support. “We are appreciative of US support,” ministry of foreign affairs (MEA) spokesman Arindam Bagchi said.

The decision reversed former President Donald Trump’s opposition to the proposal in its entirety. It was welcomed as “monumental” by World Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and called a “bold decision” by Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontierè — MSF).

People familiar with the matters said it is a “limited waiver” that the US is supporting, as it covers only vaccines and not therapeutics and related technologies as proposed by India

SANJEEV VERMA/HT PHOTO People waiting to be inoculated against the coronavirus at a vaccination centre in New Delhi on Thursday,