Merkel argued with a Biden adviser over vaccine patents

German Chancellor Angela Merkel disagrees with the position of the administration of US President Joe Biden, which waived the right to intellectual property in the issue of patents for vaccines against COVID-19. it is reported by the Financial Times.

Suspension of intellectual property rights in this matter will have serious consequences for the production of CORONAVIRUS drugs around the world, she said.

“Intellectual property protection is a source of innovation and should remain so in the future,” Merkel added. Her statement was a response to the words of Biden's chief trade adviser Catherine Tai. She stated that although the United States believes in the protection of intellectual property, the White House will support the abandonment of patents for coronavirus vaccines in order to increase their supply.

Merkel, in turn, stressed that the limiting factors in the supply of drugs are not patents, but production capacity and high quality standards.