WASHINGTON — World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on a waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines could take months — provided they can overcome significant opposition from some member countries, trade experts say.
The talks also are likely to focus on a waiver that is significantly narrower in scope and shorter in duration than the one initially proposed by India and South Africa last October.
Prior to U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision on Wednesday to back talks for a vaccine waiver, the two countries confirmed their intention to draft a new proposal after seven months of opposition.
WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed Biden’s mo…
Keep on reading: WTO vaccine waiver faces opposition, could take months to negotiate: experts