US supports suspension of corona vaccine patents

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Can more companies produce the vaccines anytime soon?

Photo: Tang Ming Tung / Getty Images

In the fight to contain the pandemic worldwide, the US government supports the suspension of patents for the corona vaccines.

The global extent of the pandemic calls for "extraordinary measures," said US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Wednesday.

The US government is a firm believer in the protection of intellectual property;

However, in the fight against the corona crisis at the World Trade Organization (WTO), she will advocate an exception "to end this pandemic".

"The government's goal is to get as many people as possible with safe and effective vaccines as quickly as possible," said Tai.

The Trade Representative also emphasized that the negotiations at the WTO could take time because a "consensus" had to be found and because of the "complexity" of the issue.

Non-governmental organizations and poorer countries are calling for the temporary exemption so that global vaccine production can be boosted.

This has so far been rejected by the industrialized nations in which the large pharmaceutical companies are based.

After the announcement, Pfizer's shares were initially 1.8 percent in the red, while Novavax's shares were eight percent.

kim / dpa / AFP