By Sam Ozer-Staton

Last week, the Biden administration threw its support behind a measure that would waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines, a move aimed at lessening barriers to vaccine production in the world’s poorest countries. The waiver would allow multiple companies to start vaccine production sooner, instead of concentrating manufacturing in the hands of a small number of patent holders.

The Biden administration’s announcement, which was celebrated by progressives and decried by the pharmaceutical industry, sets up a major battle at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the body in charge of writing the rules of global trade.

The job of putting together an international coalition to waive vaccine patents falls to Katherine Tai, the U.S. Trade Representative. In a statement, Tai called the decision an “extraordinary measure,” adding that “the Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines.” But as a matter of diplomacy, getting the job done will not be easy. “[The] negotiations will take time,” Tai warned, “given the consensus-based nature of the institution and the complexity of the issues involved.”