Vaccine waiver talks a chance for WTO to show its relevance: US trade chief Tai

USTradeRepresentative KatherineTaisaid on Thursday that WorldTradeOrganization negotiations over intellectual propertywaivers for COVID-19vaccines are achancefor the deeply dividedtradebody to makeitself relevant to the world's needs.

Tai, speaking to the House Ways and Means Committee, said she was committed to entering negotiations that take into account concerns from all sides, including drug companies.

"TheWTOhas not got a record of moving quickly, or getting to yes, across 164 members who must all agree, very often,"Taisaid. "This is the opportunity for theWTOtoshowitsrelevancefor mankind."

For the second day in a row,Taiheard criticism from Republican lawmakers that the intellectual property rightswaiverwill give critical biopharmaceutical technology to China, Russia and other strategic rivals while failing to increasevaccinesupplies.

Republican Representative Devin Nunes toldTaithat he is concerned China is one of the few countries that could quickly manufacture messenger RNAvaccines, a technology partly developed withUStax dollars.

"It really seems like they (China) want to steal this very new technology, especially as it relates to the Moderna and Pfizervaccines."

Taisaid the administration was working to exercise leadership on the issue to try to reach a solution that saves lives and putsthe world back on a faster growth track, which will benefit the United States.

India and South Africa, the proponents of the original, much broader proposal are expressing "that they feel extremely vulnerable in not having access tovaccines and not being able to make them either,"Taisaid.

On Wednesday,Taitold a Senate hearing that companies makingvaccines could be "a hero" by helping the world gain increased access to COVID-19vaccines.

She declined to discussdetails of her consultations with drug companies before announcing the decision to joinWTOwaivernegotiations last week but said that some are driven by more than their obligations to shareholders.

"Some of them do see themselves as important actors in the public health ecosystem in the world."

Taisaid that the intellectual propertywaiverwas just one of a number of actions that would be required to increase manufacturing and equitable distribution ofvaccines around the world.