US delays patent waiver deal for Covid diagnostics, therapeutics

In a blow to countries' plan to sign a deal this year to extend a global patent waiver for Covid-19 vaccines to diagnostics and therapeutics, the United States on Tuesday supported delaying the December 17 deadline.

The US also said it would launch an investigation into Covid-19 diagnostics and therapeutics and provide information on supply and demand, price points, the relationship between testing and treating, and production and access.

The 12th Ministerial Conference decision of the World Trade Organization (WTO) contains a commitment that no later than six months from the date of its adoption -June 17 - members will decide on a possible extension to cover the production and supply of Covid-19 diagnostics and therapeutics.


"There were divergent positions, and many countries were looking at delaying the decision. The issue is being discussed in the Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) council meeting," an official said.

A TRIPS council meeting was scheduled for Tuesday.

Citing that "transparency is critical", the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said on Tuesday that it would ask the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) to launch an investigation into Covid-19 diagnostics and therapeutics and provide information on market dynamics.

"Real questions remain on a range of issues, and the additional time, coupled with information from the USITC, will help the world make a more informed decision on whether extending the Ministerial Decision to Covid-19 therapeutics and diagnostics would result in increased access to those products," Katherine Tai, the USTR, said.

In the earlier meeting, the US, China, Uruguay and Mexico had sought to establish a definition and list of products that would be covered by such an extension and asked for some flexibility as they were conducting domestic consultations and gathering information on the use of diagnostics and therapeutics to treat Covid-19 and other related issues such as their supply, production, demand, and distribution.

Sources said the UK and Switzerland also favour an extension to the deadline.