The Chairman of the World Bank, David Malpass, said on Tuesday that the Bank does not support the Renuition of Intellectual Property Rights for Vaccines COVID-19 in the World Trade Organization for concern that would hinder innovation in the pharmaceutical sector.
The comments of it on the subject, carried out during a call with reporters on the economic forecasts of the World Bank, the WTO negotiations on the resignation resumed in Geneva emerged.
He asked if he supports an exemption from the WTO vaccine, which India, South Africa and other emerging market countries argue to expand access to the vaccine, Mr. Malpass said: “We do not support that, for the reason why I would run risk . to reduce innovation and R & D in that sector. “
The comment puts Mr. Malpass, a candidate for the Trump administration, disagreing with the Biden Administration, which supports the WTO negotiations based on text for the intellectual property rights of the vaccine, led by the commercial representative of USA UU, Katherine Tai.
The main vaccine manufacturers and pharmaceutical industries have been opposed to the exemption of the WTO Agreement on the aspects of intellectual property rights of intellectual property rights (TRIPS), arguing that it will suffocate innovation and will do little to increase effectively Vaccine supplies limited by trade barriers, the shortage of components and a lack of manufacturing capabilities.
Mr. Malpass on Tuesday reiterated him calls from the rich countries to quickly donate his excess dose of vaccines to the developing world as quickly as possible.
The World Bank said its global growth forecasts, collected A5.6% by 2021 and 4.3% by 2022, could be higher if vaccines can be accelerated in developing countries.
In Geneva, the negotiations came on Tuesday and Wednesday on the revised Exemption proposals of India and South Africa that remained much broader than the narrow vaccine exemption, only favored by USTR TAI.
“It seems that they are still very separate, their positions have not changed fundamentally,” a Geneva-based trade official told Reuters.