May 5, 2021
Please see below for a statement from the O’Neill Institute’s Director for Global Health Policy and Politics Matthew Kavanagh:
Today at the World Trade Organization (WTO), U.S. Ambassador Katherine Tai released a statement announcing the Biden administration’s support of the TRIPS waiver of patents on COVID-19 vaccines.
U.S. support of the TRIPS waiver during the pandemic is a remarkable shift and the right move for global public health. There is a critical role for governments in responding effectively to COVID-19 and adopting a WTO waiver would free the hand of governments around the world to act. This is a key step to expanding production of high-quality, low-cost vaccines in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Next, the administration should support the transfer of key technologies funded by taxpayers and fund expanding global production lines, so factories around the world can start producing vaccines for their populations immediately.
++++
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Lauren Dueck at Lauren.Dueck@georgetown.edu or +1 240-665-8921