US waives intellectual property rights to jabs

‘The extraordinary circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures’

THE Biden administration last night said the US would waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines to help developing countries combat the virus.

President Joe Biden, who had backed such a move during the 2020 presidential campaign, threw his support behind the World Trade Organisation (WTO) proposal, which needed US backing.

The US and several other countries had previously blocked negotiations at the WTO about the waiver proposal led by India and South Africa, which have suffered a huge toll from Covid-19.

Katherine Tai, Mr Biden’s chief trade negotiator, said they would temporarily waive certain IP rights to help countries respond to the pandemic. “This is a global health crisis, and the extraordinary circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures,” Ms Tai said in a statement.

Ms Tai said the US would participate in negotiations at the WTO to ensure the waiver could happen, but cautioned it would take time. WTO decisions require a consensus of all members.

Reacting to the news, Rachel Silverman, a global health expert with the Center for Global Development, said:

“The Biden administration’s support of the TRIPS waiver signals re-engagement in the number one global issue of our times: ending the Covid-19 pandemic, everywhere.

“Now it’s time for the administration to lead an all-hands-on deck effort to translate this first step into real, practical impact via an enormous ramp up in funding, technology transfer and political leadership.”

Proponents, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, say that such waivers are part of the WTO toolbox.

More than 100 countries have come out in support of the proposal. A group of 110 members of Congress sent Mr Biden a letter last month, which called on him to support the waiver.