Washington proposes to lift patent on anti-Covid vaccines. International | DW

This is a discussion that we are opening, we are currently in an extraordinary situation where we need to have enough vaccines for the whole world.
This is how the German foreign minister, Heiko Maas, reacted at a press conference on Washington’s announcement to support the endorsement of patents on anti-covid vaccines. But later in the day, Angela Merkel’s government expressed strong reservations about the US-backed proposal, arguing that patents should be “protected” in the name of supporting the United States.
For US officials, the extraordinary circumstances of the epidemic for extraordinary measures. While the Biden administration strongly believes in protecting intellectual property, it intends to work to end the epidemic.

Also read: Kovacs: Towards greater international solidarity?

Washington's commitment has been welcomed, especially in Europe

Washington’s commitment has been welcomed, especially in Europe

L’engagement de Washington

Accused of interruptions in the supply of raw materials, while threatening a shortage, the US government is now committed to “Work so that more raw materials are necessary to produce vaccines”, As Catherine Tai assured sales reps within Joe Biden’s team.
A long legal and economic debate on the uptake of patents on vaccines is announced at the World Trade Organization.
Meanwhile, many countries, especially in Africa, are expecting delivery of the precious serum.

Also Read: Crisis in India: Vaccine Distribution to Africa

Hope and reserve

John Nekengsong, director of the African Union’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), therefore believes the American position is “A remarkable expression of leadership and a very important development”. For him, this is the right decision “right on time”.

The virologist is more reserved at the University of Stellenbosch in Wolfgang Preiser, South Africa. ” I really hope that it will have an impact but not in the short term. But I think in the medium term its application will make a lot of difference “He explains.
According to the researcher, not only the technology but also the raw materials needed to be able to produce the vaccine. However, even large laboratories are struggling to achieve them.
Also read: One-month results of vaccination with AstraZeneca in Ghana
The director general of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Jerome Kim believes that the real question is whether lifting the patent will allow us to obtain high quality vaccines.
Because it carries a certain information about how the serum in question is produced. He also recalls that large laboratories do not work for non-profit purposes.

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