Simmering disputes persist as Covid patent waiver talks come down to the wire

Simmering disputes persist as Covid patent waiver talks come down to the wire A furious last-minute bid is under way at the World Trade Organization to vote on a proposal to waive patents on Covid-19 vaccines. Ed Silverman STAT

On Sunday, the World Trade Organization will hold a long-delayed ministerial conference to craft a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the issue likely to generate the most debate is a highly controversial proposal to temporarily waive intellectual property rights for vaccines. A version was first introduced in October 2020 by South Africa and India, but appeared to face the proverbial uphill battle until several months later, when the Biden administration unexpectedly backed the effort.

But despite various attempts at a compromise, the initiative repeatedly stalled amid objections by the pharmaceutical industry and some wealthy nations where the largest drug companies are based...