WASHINGTON (Reuters) – World Bank President David Malpass said on Tuesday that the bank does not support waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, out of concern that it would hamper innovation in the pharmaceuticals sector.
Malpass, asked during a media call about new World Bank economic forecasts whether he supports WTO negotiations for a vaccine waiver, said: “We don’t support that, for the reason that it would run the risk of reducing the innovation and the R&D in that sector.”
(Reporting by David Lawder)
