After the United States gave its nod to waive patents on coronavirus vaccines, Germany strongly opposed the move on Thursday. This threatens the consensus required in the World Trade Organization (WTO) to pass a proposal and could jeopardise the coronavirus fight in the developing world.

US-Germany rift on Covid vaccine waiver endangers fight against deadly virus

The Biden administration on Wednesday decided to back the India-led fight for a global waiver on patent protections for coronavirus vaccines. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said though intellectual property rights are important for businesses, Washington "supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines".

US backs India-led fight to waive Covid vaccines patents

European Union Parliamentarians have strongly backed India and South Africa's joint proposal at the World Trade Organization for a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID vaccine patents in a letter to EU leadership.

EU Parliamentarians back India-South Africa proposal for IPR waiver on Covid vaccine patents