COVID-19 Vaccines Patent Waiver Backed by US and Russia

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized on Thursday the U.S. government decision to support the temporary suspension of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, a move already backed by 66 countries.

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The waiver would allow countries to copy and manufacture COVID-19 vaccines without risking legal suits over intellectual property. The initiative, promoted by India and South Africa last year, is considered  "a monumental moment in the fight against Covid-19," according to the WHO.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed he would also support the move. "A pandemic is an emergency. No doubt, Russia would support such an approach," Putin said on national television. "There is an idea in Europe which deserves attention, to completely lift patent protection from coronavirus vaccines," the president added.

However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who rejects the decision, pointed out in a statement that "the limiting factor when it comes to vaccine production are production capacities and the high-quality standards, not the patents." Merkel remarked that  "the protection of the intellectual property is a source of innovation, and it must remain so in the future."

Vaccine manufacturers worldwide have opposed the initiative alongside the U.K., Switzerland, and the European Union. Moderna chief executive Stéphane Bancel said on Thursday that the waiver "will not help supply more mRNA vaccines to the world any faster in 2021 and 2022, which is the most critical time of the pandemic." The manufacturers argue the initiative poses a security threat and further undermines the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.