Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Biden Decision on COVID Vaccine Patent Waivers is More About Global Leadership than IP

By Professor Justin Hughes

Back in October 2020 – as the world recorded its first million COVID-19 deaths – South Africa and India presented a proposal at the World Trade Organization for “a waiver from the implementation, application and enforcement” of global intellectual property rights “in relation to prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19.” Along with other western countries, the Trump administration strenuously opposed the idea. But on Wednesday the Biden administration said it is prepared to go along with such a waiver, at least for coronavirus vaccines.

What happened?

Read the entire USA Today op-ed>>