US President Joe Biden: backs waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines

President Joe Biden on Wednesday threw his support behind waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, a stance immediately applauded by WHO boss, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros called Biden’s move a “MONUMENTAL MOMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST #COVID19” on Twitter, and said it reflected “the wisdom and moral leadership of the United States.”

In backing vaccine copyright waive, Biden bowed to mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers and more than 100 other countries.

However, he angered pharmaceutical companies, which have made humongous profits selling vaccines.

Biden voiced his support for a waiver – a sharp reversal of the previous U.S. position – in remarks to reporters.

His position was followed swiftly by a statement from his top trade negotiator, Katherine Tai, who backed negotiations at the World Trade Organization.