14 May 2021 - The Biden administration’s announcement that it would support waiving patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines to help spur production and access, especially among low-income countries, was a welcome step for increasing global access for these drugs at a time when they are desperately needed.
In justifying the move, Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, said in a statement, “This is a global health crisis, and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures.”