Prognosis
U.S. Weighs Global Vaccine-Expansion Move Opposed by Drugmakers
- Progressives urge support for intellectual-property exemption
- Pharma companies say waiver is poorly targeted, unnecessary
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The Biden administration is weighing an appeal from progressive Democrats to accelerate global access to Covid-19 vaccines by supporting a waiver of intellectual-property protections, a move opposed by big drugmakers.
Lawmakers led by senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren last week called on President Joe Biden to back a proposal before the World Trade Organization that seeks a broad waiver from obligations on the protection of intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights and trade secrets.