Yesterday the Biden-Harris Administration announced its support for waiving intellectual property protections on COVID-19 vaccines: saying it will actively participate in negotiations at the World Trade Organization to make this happen.
“Those negotiations will take time given the consensus-based nature of the institution and the complexity of the issues involved,” said a statement from US trade representative, Katherine Tai.
“The Administration’s aim is to get as many safe and effective vaccines to as many people as fast as possible. As our vaccine supply for the American people is secured, the Administration will continue to ramp up its efforts – working with the private sector and all possible partners – to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution. It will also work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines.”
A proposal for waivers on certain parts of the ‘TRIPS Agreement’ would cover vaccines and their manufacture and supply. It was initially submitted by South Africa and India and has since been co-sponsored by more than 60 WTO members. The US backing puts increased force behind the proposal.
Advocates of a waiver say the move would increase global vaccine production. While vaccination campaigns in the US and some other developed countries have moved forward in leaps and bounds, there is a stark gap with poorer countries with some of these yet to report a single dose.
But the US pharmaceutical industry says a waiver on IP will do nothing to address the real challenges of getting vaccines to people: adding it could in fact hinder efforts.