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Corona vaccines: patent release? Merkel contacts Biontech boss - and contradicts US President

2021-05-08T19:34:20.202Z


There is heated international discussion about the patent release of corona vaccines. Angela Merkel phoned Biontech boss Ugur Sahin. An accident happened to a confidante of the Chancellor.


There is heated international discussion about the patent release of corona vaccines.

Angela Merkel phoned Biontech boss Ugur Sahin.

An accident happened to a confidante of the Chancellor.

Munich / Mainz - Peter Altmaier (CDU) is one of the closest confidants of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).

After all, the longstanding head of government made the Saarlander head of the Chancellery in Cabinet III and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy in the current Cabinet IV.

But said confidante has now had a serious mishap.

Because: As the only member of his parliamentary group and the federal government, the CDU member voted on Thursday for patent release for vaccines.

As Altmaier announced on Twitter this Friday morning (May 7th), it was an oversight.

Vaccination patents for corona vaccines: Germany is against a patent release under Angela Merkel

"Correction: It is obviously a mistake.

I share the unanimous position of my group on this issue, ”wrote the Federal Minister of Economics.

He rejects requests from the left in principle.

“I may have thrown the wrong card in the urn,” Altmaier continued.

He will clarify the matter.

There is still a lot to be clarified in the coronavirus pandemic.

Also, whether patents for corona vaccines should be released - and the production of the vaccine would thus also be made possible for poorer countries.

US President Joe Biden is leading the way worldwide and wants to support a global relaxation of patent protection for the coronavirus vaccines.

This was announced by his trade representative this Wednesday (May 5th).

And Germany?

Seemed against it at first.

At least under the current federal government.

Chancellor Merkel now apparently declared the matter a top priority and spoke to Biontech founder and developer Ugur Sahin on the phone.

The news magazine

Spiegel

reports on it

.

Vaccination patents for corona vaccines: US President Joe Biden advocates global relaxation

Accordingly, in addition to patent protection, the phone call was about how the Mainz-based pharmaceutical company and the federal government can work together to support poorer countries with vaccine supplies.

At the same time, the federal government warned of a patent suspension.

A government spokeswoman in Berlin announced: "The protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and must remain so in the future."

In the Corona crisis, Germany is thus opposing Biden's advance.

For now, at least.

However, it remains questionable whether the last word has already been spoken on this matter.

The federal government changed plans and strategies in the fight against the coronavirus too often in the past.

(pm)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-05-08

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