“The Biden administration’s decision to support waiving intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines was hailed by activists and health officials Thursday as a decisive move that could upend the cozy relationship between rich countries and pharmaceutical giants and mark a crucial step toward addressing global vaccine inequality. However, the move drew strong criticism from leading drugmakers and some experts, who are skeptical about its impact on the world’s efforts to fight back against the coronavirus.” U.S. reversal on vaccine patents offers countries in crisis hope, but hurdles persist.

+ The Guardian: What is patent waiving and will it solve the global shortage? (The first half of that question is a lot easier to answer than the second.)

+ The European Union is willing to discuss a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines. For now, Merkel is not on the same waivelength.