display
Washington (AP) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the support of the US government for the suspension of patents for the corona vaccines as a "historic decision".
This is an important milestone in the fight against the pandemic, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Twitter on Wednesday. The decision is a striking example of American leadership on global health issues, he wrote. This could combat global inequality in vaccines in order to work together to “end this pandemic”.
Immediately beforehand, the US government had announced that it would campaign for an agreement on the temporary suspension of patents within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
More than 100 WTO member countries want to suspend intellectual property rights for vaccines so that more companies in more countries can manufacture vaccines.
Important countries of origin of the pharmaceutical industry such as the USA have so far blocked the project initiated by South Africa and India.
The pharmaceutical industry also fought against it.
display
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210505-99-484077 / 2
Tedros' Twitter thread on the decision, English