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 Members of the World Trade Organization are due to discuss a
proposal by India and South Africa to waive certain provisions of
the WTO's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS) on April 30, but the United States and a few
other big countries have blocked such a move.
Democratic lawmakers, civil society groups, and 60 former heads of
state and 100 Nobel Prize winners have urged President Joe Biden to
back the waiver. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday
said she had no updates on the issue.
Tai's meetings with the Pfizer and AstraZeneca executives reflect
her intense engagement on the issue, and follow similar meetings
with advocacy groups, industry executives and others.
Earlier this month, Tai told a WTO meeting the gaping divide between
developed and developing countries' access to medicines was
"completely unacceptable" and industry needed to make sacrifices in
times of crisis.
In her discussion with Pfizer Chief Executive Dr. Albert Bourla, Tai
emphasized her commitment to working with other members of the WTO
on a global response to the crisis, her office said in a statement.
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That included "the role of developing countries in any solution that
addresses critical gaps in global production and distribution of
vaccines," USTR said.
Tai also discussed the issue with Dr. Ruud Dobber, head of U.S.
business at AstraZeneca, as well as the White House's decision to
share up to 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine with
countries in need.
USTR said Tai and Dobber discussed "increasing vaccine production,
global health issues and the proposed waiver."
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
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