Patents
FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo, frozen vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are taken out to thaw, at the MontLegia CHC hospital in Liege, Belgium. Envoys from World Trade Organization member nations are taking up a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines to help developing countries fight the pandemic, an idea backed by the Biden administration but opposed in other wealthy countries with strong pharmaceutical industries. On the table for a two-day meeting of a WTO panel opening Tuesday June 8, 2021, is a revised proposal presented by India and South Africa for a temporary IP waiver on coronavirus vaccines. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
WTO to intensify talks on easing access to COVID-19 vaccines

By Jamey Keaten Jun. 09, 2021 08:54 AM EDT

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo, frozen vials of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are taken out to thaw, at the MontLegia CHC hospital in Liege, Belgium. Envoys from World Trade Organization member nations are taking up a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines to help developing countries fight the pandemic, an idea backed by the Biden administration but opposed in other wealthy countries with strong pharmaceutical industries. On the table for a two-day meeting of a WTO panel opening Tuesday June 8, 2021, is a revised proposal presented by India and South Africa for a temporary IP waiver on coronavirus vaccines. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
WTO panel considers easing protections on COVID-19 vaccines

By Jamey Keaten Jun. 08, 2021 05:39 AM EDT

The Italian and the EU flags are displayed outside Villa Pamphili as Italian Premier Mario Draghi and EU Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen arrive on the occasion of the Global Health Summit in Rome, Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Vaccine makers pledge 2.3B doses to less wealthy nations

May. 21, 2021 11:16 AM EDT

FILE - In this Nov.4, 2017 file photo, the logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is seen during the 39th session of the General Conference at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. While the U.S. president is calling for suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines, experts at UNESCO are quietly working on a more ambitious plan: a new global system for sharing scientific knowledge that would outlast the current pandemic. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
Beyond vaccines, UNESCO wants more global science shared

May. 11, 2021 02:24 PM EDT

FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 file photo the logo on the BioNTech biotechnology company displayed at the building where production of the COVID-19 vaccine has started, in Marburg, Germany. German pharmaceutical company BioNTech reported a net profit of 1.13 billion euros, about 1.37 billion US dollars, in the first quarter of this year on the back of strong revenues from its coronavirus vaccine. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)
Vaccine maker BioNTech says no need to waive patents

By Frank Jordans May. 10, 2021 08:06 AM EDT

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit at the Crystal Palace in Porto, Portugal, Saturday, May 8, 2021. On Saturday, EU leaders hold an online summit with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, covering trade, climate change and help with India's COVID-19 surge. (Violeta Santos Moura, Pool via AP)
EU says US stand on patent virus waiver is no 'magic bullet'

By Raf Casert And Barry Hatton May. 08, 2021 05:56 AM EDT

FILE - In this April 28, 2021, file photo, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai testifies during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Biden administration is throwing its support behind efforts to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to speed the end of the pandemic. Tai announced the government's position in May 5 statement, amid World Trade Organization talks over easing global trade rules to enable more countries to produce more of the life-saving vaccines. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP, File)
Biden move to share vaccine designed to spread US influence

By Zeke Miller And Jonathan Lemire May. 08, 2021 12:04 AM EDT

President Joe Biden speaks about the April jobs report in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 7, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Biden move to share vaccine designed to spread US influence

By Zeke Miller And Jonathan Lemire May. 07, 2021 06:33 PM EDT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during the closing ceremony of the EU summit at the Alfandega do Porto Congress Center in Porto, Portugal, Friday, May 7, 2021. European Union leaders met for a summit in Portugal on Friday, sending a signal they see the threat from COVID-19 on their continent as waning amid a quickening vaccine rollout. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, Pool)
EU calls on US to push exports to counter vaccine shortage

By Raf Casert And Barry Hatton May. 07, 2021 12:34 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 1, 2021 file picture, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attends a news conference at WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The head of the World Trade Organization said Friday, May 7, 2021, the U.S. administration’s call to remove patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines will give an impetus to negotiations to resolve access inequity but such a waiver might not be the “critical issue” against the pandemic. (Denis Balibouse/Pool via AP)
Unsure vaccine waiver will help, some leaders urge exports

By Nicole Winfield And Jamey Keaten May. 07, 2021 10:32 AM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2020, file photo, Pat Moore, with the Chester County, Pa., Health Department, fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency medical workers and health care personnel at the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. The Biden administration’s call to lift patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help poor parts of the world get more doses has drawn praise from some countries and health advocates. But it has run into resistance from the pharmaceutical industry and others, who say that it won’t help curb the outbreak any time soon and will hurt future innovation. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
EXPLAINER: Why patents on COVID vaccines are so contentious

By Linda A. Johnson May. 06, 2021 01:11 PM EDT

French President Emmanuel Macron talks to the press as he visits a giant vaccination center against the Covid-19 during its inauguration at Porte de Versailles convention centre in Paris, Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Christophe Archambault, Pool Photo via AP)
More support easing vaccine patent rules, but hurdles remain

By Jamey Keaten May. 06, 2021 05:16 AM EDT

French President Emmanuel Macron talks to the press as he visits a giant vaccination center against the Covid-19 during its inauguration at Porte de Versailles convention centre in Paris, Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Christophe Archambault, Pool Photo via AP)
EU to discuss US vaccine patent plan at Friday summit

By Raf Casert May. 06, 2021 03:52 AM EDT

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai testifies during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in Washington. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP)
US to launch trade talks on COVID-19 vaccine distribution

By Darlene Superville May. 02, 2021 02:39 PM EDT

The President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, centre and Pedro Sanchez listen as Spain's King Felipe VI makes a speech during the Latin American leaders' summit in Andorra la Valla in Andorra, Tuesday April 20, 2021. Leaders from Latin American countries, Portugal, Spain and Andorra, are set to push for universal access to vaccines and flexible funding for economic recovery at their first summit since the pandemic started. (Alberto Estevez/Pool via AP)
Latin American leaders seek more vaccines at Andorra summit

By Aritz Parra Apr. 21, 2021 11:20 AM EDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 14, 2021 file photo, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., questions witnesses during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington. On Friday, April 16 The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting that a photo showed Gaetz as a senior in high school with a mullet hairstyle and a tuxedo. The image is not genuine. A reverse-image search revealed Gaetz’s face was superimposed onto a different man’s portrait, which has been circulating as a meme online for at least 11 years. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

By The Associated Press Apr. 16, 2021 12:11 PM EDT

Today in History

By The Associated Press Apr. 12, 2021 12:00 AM EDT
Today in History Today is Monday, April 12, the 102nd day of 2021. There are 263 days left in the year. Today’s...

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 24, 2020 file photo, Michael Ryan, left, Executive Director of WHO's Health Emergencies programme, next to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, right, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), addresses a press conference about the update on COVID-19 at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The emergencies chief of the World Health Organization said on Monday March 1, 2021, it was “premature” and “unrealistic” to think the pandemic might be stopped by the end of the year, but that the recent arrival of effective vaccines could at least help dramatically reduce hospitalizations and death. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP, File)
WHO head wants virus vaccine patents waived to boost supply

Mar. 05, 2021 04:12 PM EST

A member of production personnel walks in a corridor past a room containing a Disposable 50L Bioreactor (STR50) System with peristaltic pumps and an Inverted Microscope inside the Incepta plant on the outskirts of Dhaka in Bangladesh Saturday Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Al-emrun Garjon)
Countries urge drug companies to share vaccine know-how

By Maria Cheng And Lori Hinnant Mar. 01, 2021 02:24 AM EST

India, South Africa ask WTO to ease IP rules for COVID-19

By Aniruddha Ghosal And Cara Anna Oct. 03, 2020 05:55 AM EDT
NEW DELHI (AP) — South Africa and India have asked the World Trade Organization to waive some provisions in the international agreements that regulate...