US backs Covid-19 vaccine IP waiver; global pharma companies irked

European Commission supports move, matter heading to WTO

The US’s sudden support for a waiver of patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines -- in response to requests from countries such as India -- is heading to the World Trade Organization (WTO), setting the stage for potentially thorny negotiations over sharing the proprietary know-how needed to boost global supplies of the life-saving shots.
 
WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has urged member nations to support India as it continues to battle the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
 In a statement, the commerce ministry said, “We are hopeful that with a consensus-based approach, the waiver can be approved quickly