A True Covid ‘People's Vaccine' Gets a Little Closer

The rich world has had a change of heart about enforcing drugmakers’ Covid-19 vaccine patents. It’s a belated but powerful step intended to boost immunization campaigns in developing countries as new virus hotspots flare up. Despite resistance from the pharmaceutical industry, public opinion had sided with voices like the head of the World Health Organization, who put it as a question: “If not now, when?”

As big as it is, though, it’s only a start. Even assuming World Trade Organization patent obligations are waived with the support of the U.S. and Europe — which isn’t a sure thing yet, especially after Germany pushed back on the idea — it’s unlikely to be enough on its own to fulfil the dream of a “People’s Vaccine” to break out of this pandemic. Pushing the pharmaceutical industry to share manufacturing know-how is the real goal and that will take yet more concerted political willpower.