<Anchor> The
US Trade Representative announced that it supports the exemption of intellectual property rights for the corona vaccine. Although it is a positive announcement that the vaccine supply can be expanded, the US Republican Party and pharmaceutical companies are strongly opposing it, and until the actual implementation, considerable pain is expected.
This is Kim Soo-hyung, correspondent from Washington.
<Reporter>
USTR CEO Catherine Thai of the US Trade Representative announced a statement on Twitter.
The US government has announced that it "supports vaccine intellectual property exemption to end the corona pandemic."
He explained that emergency measures are necessary in the emergency department.
As the criticism of the vaccine sweeping controversy has risen, it will seek ways to expand the supply through the exemption of intellectual property rights.
[Jen Saki/White House Spokesperson: We are experiencing a global corona pandemic. Our goal is to provide the world with as many vaccines as possible as quickly as possible with the most cost savings.]
Mr. Thai premised that the WTO's negotiations for waiver of vaccine IP rights would take time.
The White House also explained that it would take months.
[Jen Saki/White House Spokesperson: The whole process will be undertaken by the World Trade Organization (relating to the vaccine IP waiver). It looks like it will take months for the decision to come out. The procedure is the way it works.]
The problem is that WTO decisions take considerable time, and there is a possibility of litigation by drug companies that are strongly opposed to the exemption of intellectual property rights.
It may not be of immediate help to the urgent vaccine supply.
In addition, as the Republican Party of the United States is opposing the exemption of intellectual property rights from pharmaceutical companies, it is likely that pain will be inevitable in the future.