The United States government announced this Wednesday that it supports the temporary release of patents for covid vaccines – 19 so that they can be produced in other countries.
Joe Biden’s government representative in the World Trade Organization (UNWTO) , Katherine Tai, announced the support in a statement.
“This is a global health crisis and the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic require extraordinary measures “, said Tai.
” The government firmly believes in the protection of intellectual property but to end this pandemic supports exemption from these protections for covid vaccines – .
Tai said the United States will participate in the negotiations in the WTO to ensure that this exemption is confirmed, but warned that it will take time.
The decisions of the WTO require consensus of its 164 members.
The United States and other countries had previously blocked the negotiations in the WTO proposals by India and South Africa to help developing countries produce their own vaccines using the intellectual property of Pharmaceuticals.
Three US companies – Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson – have developed, produce and sell covid vaccines – 19.
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