U.S. remains non-committal on India’s move to get TRIPS waiver to COVID-19 vaccines at WTO

The move by India, South Africa and several other countries has been supported by more than 60 top American lawmakers, most of whom are progressives.

The U.S. remained non-committal on the move by India and South Africa to get Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver for vaccine before the WTO so that the doses are accessible and affordable to low- and middle-income countries. The move by India, South Africa and several other countries has been supported by more than 60 top American lawmakers, most of whom are progressives. U.S. Trade Representatives Katherine Tai, in her address to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) virtual conference on vaccine equity on Wednesday, however, did not weigh in on the request made by India and South Africa.